There is so much about this project that I adore. It has challenged my bravery, made me practice discipline, and has given me something to fear & look forward to each day. That being said, I have to admit that my favorite thing is this: I have been documenting a storyboard of my life, and I have a special memory for every single day. That special memory is captured visually, but it also resonates viscerally. I read once that what makes us remember some things and not others is the combination of focus + emotion. So much of our lives float by without mention, we just scurry from one thing to another. Sure, we laugh, we drink, we share, we are constantly creating memories... but which ones stick with us beyond a few months or a few years? Think back to ten years ago... What were you doing? Who were your friends? How many details do you remember from that year? Most likely, the times you remember are the ones filled with a focused emotion. Joy, anger, fear, laughter, aloneness, desperation, falling in love, heart break, or maybe it is even more simple, like a hello from a stranger that touched your soul, or an animal that stole a glance and stole your heart, or the warmth of the sunshine on your back while you enjoyed a precious view. During all of these, our minds and hearts are hyper focused and we don't even realize it. We are living in the moment, letting time stop in order to appreciate. "They" also say that if you step out of your comfort zone, change up your routine, step into your fears, that it keeps you sharp, releases endorphins, and creates stronger memory. So, the way I see it, bythe end of this year, I should be an elephant!
