my dreams, unconventional as they seem...

i've never felt compelled to follow the crowd.

i listen. and analyze. and like to figure stuff out for myself.

this has been the result to a plethora of interesting and sometimes unwanted interpretations by my acquaintances.

i have been called a free spirit. i have been called a rebel. i have been called a noncomformist. i have been called reckless. i have been called a hippie. i have been called unconventional.

all, from a certain perspective, could be viewed as positive and/or negative...depending on your desired persona.

i have grown accustomed to the realization that people will think whatever they want to think.

you can live your entire life a specific way...striving to not only seem but completely and truly be a certain way. and people can somehow get the impression that you are the complete opposite.
(this is a different entry for a different day.)

maybe you think i'm bitter...

but it's just facts based off 23 years of my over-analyzed life experience.

at the current stage of life i'm in...this is all very relevant.

only this time, it is not necessarily by choice.

most of my surrounding peers are progressively transitioning into their adult lives in their adult jobs with their adult relationships.

due to a series of unfortunate events, my life is not following that same time frame.

i have no doubt that God has a plan that is greater than anything i can imagine because i know that those events are were only temporarily seemingly unfortunate. (another different entry for a different day.)

i say all this to say, i shot three different photo sessions this past week.

-and, now more than ever, i am completely sure that i want to be doing this the rest of my life.

i have such a passion for photography.

i love being able to capture stories on film (and/or memory cards), and knowing that these precious people will cherish those images and pass them on to their children's children's children.

it makes me feel like i'm playing a part in preserving history. (cheesy, but true.)

i love meeting and further building relationships with people.

and i love spending my time outside, surrounded by God's creations. (sidenote: autumn is such a magical time in the midwest.)

if i can somehow incorporate serving the Lord along the way, i will have it made. i could not ask for more than that.

so.

i will sit back...and see where this unconventional dream of a journey takes me.
and choose to enjoy the ride.