a Girl Scout Super Bowl
Happy Monday! And welcome back; it’s been awhile! I was out of town last week in Philadelphia, cheering on the Eagles and celebrating their first Super Bowl victory! My previous posts were called “work together” and “remember what makes you unique.” If you haven't gotten a chance to check them out, please do!
Yesterday I participated in my first-ever art show. (What a week of first-evers!) It was held at UCB in LA, and I was able to showcase some of my photography (and even sold a few prints)! A lot of people who passed by without purchasing still commented on the beauty in the photos, and a couple people asked me - why the fascination with landscapes? I hardly photograph people outside of a professional/headshot setting, so why is it that I am much more fascinated in photographing landscapes? I love people, but I hardly photograph them.
As I thought more and more about the landscape question, something hit me - and it had to do with watching the Super Bowl in Philadelphia. I loved being in my favorite city, but it’s something more to be surrounded by people you know and love - people from your childhood. My best friend took the train down to Philly from Brooklyn to watch the game, and we met up with our former Girl Scouts mentor and her friend. We caught up and joked around about all the fun we had in Girl Scouts, and we delighted in the fact that we were together over a decade-and-a-half later, drinking Yuenglings and witnessing the first Eagles Super Bowl victory ever.
Nature photography is something I love so much. The fact that I’ve now made some money at it is something that fills my heart up so much because I loved (and still love) camping and hiking as a Girl Scout. Crazy hair contests, mess kit meals, and songs around the campfire are some of the simplest, most enjoyable activities I still participate in today (okay, maybe not the crazy hair stuff, but I love cooking my own meals and singing silly songs in good company). As I look at the photos I’ve taken on my California hikes and on my global treks to different countries, I can’t help but think of the little Girl Scout who looked absolutely ridiculous in her Brownie uniform and smile when I remember my mom trying to hot glue my patches onto my sash. It was definitely a motivator to get my sewing badge. Sorry, Mom!
Do the things you love even if you don’t know how things will turn out. Approach new experiences with a mind for fun, and you’re bound to have lots of it. I didn’t make hundreds upon hundreds at yesterday’s art show, but I sold a few prints I was proud of, and I will always remember the people who purchased them and supported my efforts.
The Girl Scout Motto is “Be Prepared,” and Girl Scout Law states: "I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout." It was incredible to get to spend time with my fellow Girl Scouts during the Super Bowl, and if the people of the world treated each other based on the ideas of the Girl Scout Law, the world could only become a kinder place.
Thank you so much for reading, and, as always, if you have any pressing questions or if you want to discuss something further with me, please subscribe below, follow me on Instagram or Twitter, or reach out to me on the “contact” page. I’m so grateful you're here and that I’ve been getting a lot of really challenging questions and even better feedback from a community all over the world. I couldn’t do this without you! So THANK YOU! I’m here for you, and I love hearing from you, too! You’re the best, and you have everything you need inside of you! Please believe it! Starve your ego, feed your soul - and follow your heart!!