A Year Later

Time does what it does best.

Last October, I recognized that I needed something to distract me from the every day. I found myself in a strange place, one I hadn’t been in years, and I knew I required something to light the way while I found a way through that space. In trying to conjure up what consistently brought the lightness I knew was necessary, Disney was the only thing that came to mind. Rather than struggle against it, I let those thoughts lead.

At first, I thought I’d enter the saturated space of Disney commentary, only to find that my voice wasn’t there. What I did discover at the beginning, though, was that in researching content, I spent more time editing photos than I did anything else. I found myself making the images I’d taken at the parks more vibrant, unrealistically clear and saturated in color. It was as if I was trying to bring out the depth of color and detail only seen in my mind when I recalled the memories associated with those images, the rosy-colored wash of nostalgia. In that exercise I found my voice.

A year later, I’ve posted over 209 photos to Instagram. Each image is a snapshot in time that makes me smile from the inside out. In spite of Instagram’s slow transition away from being a still photo site, the account remains the journal of my newly discovered joy. And for those special shots, the ones where the editing is more of a subject than the photo itself — they end up here.

I don’t get to engage here as frequently as I would like, but I love having this platform. Anytime I need it, the space is here and ready to be filled with color and memories — a place where the inner child that was never allowed to exist is free to roam

So, for the few that stop by, this is a glimpse at how my heart and mind operate. These are my little moments of my joy. I only hope they can make you smile as well.

— xoxo, Leisure Mouse