Pure Bliss {photo fun!}

Dear dear Leslie!

Thanks so much for letting me stop by and share a story with you. Your words inspire me, and this week, I thought it would be fun to expand a little on your word of the week . . . and what a fantastic word it is.

BLISS: Supreme Happiness. Utter Joy or contentment.

Just saying the word kind of brings me there, to that happy place in my mind.  After reading Leslie’s post earlier this week, I started thinking about moments in life when I had that blissful feeling, and realized that Bliss may come around at the most unexpected times, and in the most unexpected ways.

Years ago, long before our daughters joined us in this world, my husband and I were great adventurers. Phil & Leanne (the second Louis & Clark, I’d like to think.) We were always up for something – be it hopping in the car on a Thursday night and driving to New York City for the weekend (we live in Chicago), or deciding to wake in the middle of the night and drive to downtown Chicago to watch the sun rise over Lake Michigan. We were spontaneous, and if you could find us, you’d usually find a silly story behind what we were doing and why we were doing it. We often took our adventures with a camera in hand, and as the brilliant thinkers we are ;), we decided to photograph these escapades by way of our feet. Yes, our feet.

Photo of us in the streets of New York City, back in 2006.

In our home, we have three large photo collages displaying our FEET pictures, showing our life (and feet) chronologically. From early adventures to places like Michigan and downtown Chicago, to our wedding day, to our feet on the freshly laid grass of our very first house, and photos of our daughters feet the days they were born. We have photos of our feet during some of our best, most blissful times in life.

It’s funny how these simple photos … or FOOTo’s (sorry, couldn’t resist!) … can remind me of the very moments when I felt so happy. When I look at the above photo from New York, I remember this very day like it was yesterday. We were walking through the streets of New York City, in Little Italy, to be exact, and we were searching for an Italian Restaurant that we had visited years. I remember exactly what we were wearing, I remember the sights and sounds of Mulberry Street, the smell of garlic in the air, and the feeling of love that I had for being here with Phil. We had been married for 8 years and Katie, who was 2 years old at the time, was staying with my sister-in-law overnight so Phil and I could enjoy a bit of New York on our own. I remember feeling happy. In love. Bliss. 

Isn’t it wonderful how bliss can happen at the most unexpected times, in the most unexpected places, and when looking at the most unexpected photos? In the very beginning of our “feet” picture days, our family thought we were nuts (maybe it was because of all of the spontaneous escapades that had them shaking their heads at us, too.) Now, you’ll laugh to know that each time we are out doing something fun, someone in our extended family will tell us “Don’t forget to take pictures of your feet!”

Next time you are on an adventure, look down at your feet and snap a photo of them … wherever they are. You’ll be surprised how happy that photo might make you years from now. It may even bring you some BLISS. 

Note: Thank you to my dear friend, Leanne!! I admire her writing sooooo much and want to be just like her in sooooo many ways!!:)  Please stop by and visit her very, very soon!!!!!!!!