“Life is messy. Grit and grace come at us fast, side by side. Sometimes the grit becomes overwhelming and diminishes our spirit. What’s good seems lost and gone forever. This is a story about the pathway back to what’s beautiful, when the way back seems impossible.” 

― Sharon E. Rainey, Making a Pearl from the Grit of Life

 

 

For much of my adult life I have struggled with depression and anxiety. Until my early thirties, I mostly ignored my physical symptoms, as well as the abuse and trauma that lay beneath their surface. Then, in 2004, I experienced a nervous breakdown that up-ended my life. Suddenly, I was forced to confront all the ways I had been living in denial. I had to make a honest assessment of my life, my relationship with myself and others, and begin to make the changes that would lead to healing. 

 

I began to experience a growing awareness of and connectedness to a deeper sense of myself. I began to find my own voice - my true, authentic nature - buried beneath all the layers I had accumulated to meet the expectations and demands of others. I learned that I can trust my own inner guidance and follow where that leads, and although that doesn't make life easier, it allows me to live a more genuine and meaningful life.

 

Every day I continue my wellness journey.  I work on accepting both the light and the dark sides of myself and of life and I find sanctuary in nature and through my photography. Particularly when I am lost in the dark, capturing nature's beautiful messages through the lens of my camera heals me on every level.  It brings me back to the light.

 

Nature reminds us of the beautiful light and love always present deep within us, beyond the reach of any external circumstances!