26 years || life

© Christopher King

This week has been a crazy week. 

Monday evening, as I was going out to do some last minute photos for my assignment, I noticed my pouch with my harddrive, usb stick and 64gb SD card, was missing. Apart from losing a camera or a lens, this is probably the next worst thing to lose as a photographer. I was losing my mind because I couldn't remember what I had done with it last. I talked with a good friend of mine that night and was reminded of a simple truth. Trust in God. You know those aren't the words you want to hear when you're going off the wall trying to find something very important, but they were perfect. 

But Tuesday morning the reality of my stuff being lost sunk in. I couldn't go to class. I needed to sleep it off and look around everywhere for it. My heart and my mind was so restless. I didn't know what to do. I felt like I had to do everything I could to try to find it so I wouldn't have any excuse later. Nothing. Tuesday was a crappy day until my seminar class. 

Seminar classes are amazing because we have awesome photographers come in to talk to us, to show us their work and motivate us. This guy, Ian Willms, was incredible. A lot of photographers have a lot of ego. This guy was different. He was real. He was vulnerable with us and wasn't afraid to show us what he's gone through in life. Photographers rarely talk about themselves, let alone the pain and joys they've experienced as a person; as a photographer. Ian was different. He mentioned things about his mother who was mentally ill or addicted to drugs, how he was estranged from his father for 4 years, how he went across the country to be with a girl who was already with someone, etc. His final word to us was "Be yourself!" That's it. That's what you gotta be in life. Don't try to emulate anyone else out there, but be you. The world needs YOU, not another copy of someone that already exists. 

What a great way to end my crappy night. Tuesday night my birthday messages started to flood in from my friends in Korea since they're 13 hours ahead of me. 

I love birthdays. I know some people don't like to celebrate their birthday, but I love it. So I wasn't sure how it was going to work in Belleville since I don't have a lot of friends here. It worked out great! I got some pretty cool gifts from my good friends, we went out for wings and was surrounded by good company for the night. 

26 years. It's been an amazing 26 years. I'm starting my 27th year of life. I know there's much more ahead in store for me so I'm excited. Losing my harddrive and whatever, no biggie. I don't know why it happened, but it's ok. It's just a small setback. There's much more to be thankful for. I am alive. He is faithful. I have good family and good friends in my life. He is by my side. I have you guys as my faithful readers. He is trustworthy. 

I'll try to make sure I'm on top of replying to comments if they end up in my email!