365 days of 2013: The month of lurv

Documenting each day of twenty thirteen.

January's post can be found here.

The second month of my photo diary project has come to a close (apologies for the short delay)! In no particular order, here are the days of February:

I have had much more time to reflect on the wisdom of embarking on this particular endeavour, and have experienced "roller-coaster emotions" (excuse the cliché; it is relevant to this month thanks to the trip to Ratanga!) There were a few times I became so fed up that I almost quit, and other times where I enjoyed planning the daily shot. What became quite apparent to me, though, was that this project means something different to everyone. To some, it is a testament to making the most of each day; to others, it is a more realistic portrait of everyday life than can be found in Facebook newsfeeds.

What's the good of living if you don't try a few things? 

Charles M. Schulz

My resolution going into February was to do more of the things I said I would do or wanted to do. I did several new things: visited new places and cooked new dishes. If you go through my posts, they are largely positive and, with the exception of my Red Hot Chilli Pepper concert rage, filled with things that made my day worthwhile. They certainly fit in with the "month of love" theme. 

Do these photographs make others' days worthwhile? Or do they only serve to add value to my own day? Is my quest for daily snapshots a purely selfish one?

But better to get hurt by the truth than comforted with a lie. 

Khaled Hosseini

Yesterday, I dashed in to Garden centre for some early Sunday morning shopping. I was so caught up in my own mission that I almost missed an old lady trying to cross the busy parking lot. I quickly offered my help and my arm, and she told me how it's usually the "handsome young men" who help her to cross. I could have made excuses about being stressed out from being on call (double rotation!) or finding out that my home has been placed on the real estate agent's site (sad face). But I don't want to spend my days justifying why I live life in my comfort zone and miss out on opportunities to live a more meaningful life. This means living less in my head and more in the moment; not acting according to social convention, but rather as my conscience demands.

I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashions. 

Lillian Hellman

I am not choosing charity to be the photo theme for March; but I will find ways to add value to the lives of those I encounter.