touched.

I'd like to share a story my friend told me...I hope he doesn't mind. :]

"I handed my dad the rolls of film to take for development. They had been sitting on my dest for a month now and it was high time to hand them off. A great sense of anticipation had built in me, just to see what I had shot. Robbed of the simplicity of reviewing shots on the camera's LCD, I had reverted to the impatient child within me.

A few hours later, I went and visited my grandparents and went to pick up the film. As I approached the counter, I could sense the wide eyed reaction of the man working the counter didn't mean good news.

His first words were "I had some questions about your film. I've never seen anything like it." I had hoped that he had complemented my skills, but no such luck. As I reviewed the prints, I was horrified by the green tint and ruined photos. I used expensive Fuji Velvia film, custom ordered, so I knew that it couldn't be the issue.

Turns out the airheaded college kid running the counter had neglected to realize that he had used the wrong chemicals on my film...A simple mistake- but one that was hard to confuse considering the recipe for the film was on the outside of the cannisters I had turned in. I took the ruined photos...and left, biting my tongue and resisting tearing into him.

The photos I had shot on that roll were simultaneously meaningless and essential. I would stand to lose no money from this, but I was far more upset that these shots had been blown than any other photos I've taken.

As I flipped through, I noticed that one photo had turned out perfectly fine.

There's no reason that this photo should look the way it does. The rest are green and ruined, not even usable-seriously. But this one is as close to a perfect photo as I've made, and I truly and fully believe that.

It's attached."

i remember the night this picture was taken. my friend was using his film camera and wanted to get one shot. i had to "act natural". i am not a model. i honestly wasn't sure the picture would even look good. i'm touched that i could be part of this small little "miracle". my friend later went on to say...."One of my favorite photographers, Ansel Adams, once said "If you make one or two good photographs in a year, then you've been successful." so while blowing the rest of the rolls isn't great, i guess this is a lesson in being happy with what you do have."

that couldn't get more relevant to my life. i'm at a point where i need to be happy with what i do have, content with the effort i put in things, accepting of the things i can't change, and pleased with the outcome of knowing i've done my best. easier said than done, right? i honestly believe you can be happy if you live by that. i worry too much. but what i've come to realize is i have so much to be grateful for and so much that i am blessed with. and sometimes things turn out the way they're supposed to, even when you expect them not to. and regardless of what happens in the course of my life, i'll be fine by knowing that.

tender little mercies.