I think everyone needs a chance to slow down, relax, and refill their cup once in a while. We need it physically, mentally, and spiritually. My household is probably not much different than yours. We are busy, and there always seems to be something going on.
My wife has two thriving businesses, our youngest is in her ninth grade year of school, our middle child is getting married, and our oldest daughter is married to a fantastic guy and has given us our first grandchild. Then there is me. I’m working full time, helping with our family businesses, trying to help wherever I can, and continuing my education by studying and taking tests to improve my value at work. None of those things are bad things. In fact, most of them are things I really enjoy. But when you put them all together, there hasn’t been a lot of time left to simply refill.
I started noticing that I was running a little low. I could keep going and I was still getting things done, but I wasn’t feeling like I had much left in the tank. I wasn’t looking for some major change in my life. I just knew I needed to find something that would help rekindle some of that natural joy.
You know that feeling—the kind of joy that lets you walk around with a smile for no particular reason. The kind of contentment where you know there is still plenty to do, and plenty of things you can’t control, but you’re okay with that. I realized I needed a little more of that.
Serving in my Church over the last month has brought a lot of that joy back to me, and I’m looking forward to continuing that service. But I still felt like there was something else I needed. That’s when I discovered a photography class that was in my price range and, fortunately, fit my schedule.
I went to my first class last Thursday, and I really enjoyed it. I could feel something starting to come back. Things felt a little more balanced. Instead of running on half a tank (or maybe three-quarters of a tank on a good day) I felt like I had managed to put a little more fuel in.
Since then, I’ve been playing with my camera. My wife and I took a drive on Saturday, and I took a bunch of pictures along the way. Some were good, some were okay, and some were just plain bad. But I had fun taking them. I learned something, tried something different, looked at what didn’t work, and came home knowing that I’m still not very good at this, but I’m getting better.
And honestly, that’s been good for me.
Life hasn’t suddenly become easier. My work isn’t necessarily adding to my joy right now, and there are still plenty of responsibilities waiting for me every day. But I have found some things that I enjoy doing when I’m not working. I can come home and think about the day, serve in my Church, spend time with my family, or grab my camera and go see what I can find.
I’m not just sitting on the sidelines watching life happen. I’m getting out there and being part of it.
At the end of the day, I’m still tired. But it’s a good kind of tired. It’s the feeling of knowing I gave something to my family, to my work, to my Church, and also to myself. I think that last part is one I sometimes forget. It’s easy to spend all of your time taking care of everything and everyone else and forget that you need a little time for yourself too.
Sometimes I forget that there is a lot of joy in this life. Lately, though, I haven’t forgotten.
Tomorrow will be another day. I’ll get up, do what I need to do, and hopefully find a few more of those little moments that make life enjoyable. I believe those moments are gifts from a loving Heavenly Father who knows what I need, even when I don’t always recognize it myself.
Maybe sometimes the answer isn’t that we need to change our whole lives. Maybe we just need to slow down long enough to notice what is already there and allow ourselves to enjoy it.
For me, right now, that’s been my family, my Church, and a camera in my hands.
And that’s a pretty good place to be.