One Shot
There are moments in life when we look around—not just at where we are, but at who we’ve become to get here.
For me, "here" wasn't a destination on a map. It was a long season. A season of loss, of letting go, of starting over with less than I thought I needed—but somehow more than enough. It was after the marriage ended. After the business closed. After I sold the van I once thought I’d never live without. It was the quiet days in between the noise, where I started to hear myself again.
I don’t think we ever plan to rebuild our lives from scratch. But sometimes, life does the clearing for us. And what’s left—what remains—is who we really are. What we choose to carry forward. What we finally lay down.
For me, photography became the thread. Even when everything else was uncertain, I still picked up my camera. I still looked for inspiration. There are photos I’ve taken during this season that stop me in my tracks—not because of what they show, but because of what they don’t. A shot of me walking solo down a railroad track. An image of me on my van in the middle of the Baja desert. These pictures hold more than moments; they hold my growth. They remind me of where I was—and just how far I’ve come, even when I couldn’t see it at the time.
And maybe that’s the thing. We don’t always notice the becoming while we’re in it. We just wake up one day and realize—we’re different. Softer in some ways. Clearer. More honest about what we want, and what we’re willing to let go of to protect our peace.
This life isn’t about what we collect. It’s about what we notice. Who we love. What we create. The quiet in-betweens. The everyday beauty that gets missed when we’re rushing.
I used to live like I had forever. Now, I know better.
We only have one shot.
So I’m choosing to make mine count—not in numbers or success or stuff—but in the kind of life I build slowly, with intention. The kind of life I can look back on and say, "That was real."
There’s something beautiful waiting on the other side. Not just in the where you're going… but in who you’re becoming while you’re here.
Thank you for reading! I appreciate you : )
