![I remember the first time I discovered The Goodness. Of course, I had known The Goodness all along. But only in the way that a child perceives words before the ability to read them. He can obviously see what is written, but the message remains a mystery. They are just jumbled symbols on a piece of paper.
Not too long ago I was photographing a wedding for an incredible couple I have known for quite some time. Right before the ceremony the couple and I went to a local park to capture some portrait shots. We were standing on the top of the tallest hill in the park overlooking the groves of trees all around us and a gorgeous, bright green tree was over our heads. I was changing lenses when I just happened to look up to see the groom wrap his arms around his beautiful bride-to-be and pull her tight into his embrace. Their eyes met and stared into what would become their future. Their breath released in a slow sigh- the good kind of sigh. A smile ever so slowly grew on both of their faces. It was bliss - pure joy. At that very moment I oh-so-subtly put the camera to my eye, released the shutter, and seized a moment that few will ever get to experience in a lifetime. Sometimes I wonder how out of all the people and photographers on this expansive, wondrous planet, the universe chose me to be there to capture that moment. I heart you universe.
When reviewing the image on my screen I couldn’t help but exclaim “so good…..so. much. goodness.” And THAT my friends is when I discovered The Goodness. To some it’s a driving down the road, windows rolled down, screaming their favorite song at the top of their lungs. To others it’s] a kiss on the nape of the neck. And still to others it’s sitting on the on the couch for a TIVO’d Grey’s Anatomy episode with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. To me The Goodness is a subtle look. Its the laughter found in the loss of a staring contest. Its the sun flare at precisely 7:10pm when the light is golden and buttery. But at that very moment The Goodness was a smile between a woman and man.
Becoming aware of The Goodness has made me a better person and a more profound artist. Its presence surrounds me with every person I photograph. I am thankful not to have found it, but to have realized it was there all along.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lp32prXu7M1qgbg1so1_1280.jpg)
View high resolution
I remember the first time I discovered The Goodness. Of course, I had known The Goodness all along. But only in the way that a child perceives words before the ability to read them. He can obviously see what is written, but the message remains a mystery. They are just jumbled symbols on a piece of paper. Not too long ago I was photographing a wedding for an incredible couple I have known for quite some time. Right before the ceremony the couple and I went to a local park to capture some portrait shots. We were standing on the top of the tallest hill in the park overlooking the groves of trees all around us and a gorgeous, bright green tree was over our heads. I was changing lenses when I just happened to look up to see the groom wrap his arms around his beautiful bride-to-be and pull her tight into his embrace. Their eyes met and stared into what would become their future. Their breath released in a slow sigh- the good kind of sigh. A smile ever so slowly grew on both of their faces. It was bliss - pure joy. At that very moment I oh-so-subtly put the camera to my eye, released the shutter, and seized a moment that few will ever get to experience in a lifetime. Sometimes I wonder how out of all the people and photographers on this expansive, wondrous planet, the universe chose me to be there to capture that moment. I heart you universe. When reviewing the image on my screen I couldn’t help but exclaim “so good…..so. much. goodness.” And THAT my friends is when I discovered The Goodness. To some it’s a driving down the road, windows rolled down, screaming their favorite song at the top of their lungs. To others it’s] a kiss on the nape of the neck. And still to others it’s sitting on the on the couch for a TIVO’d Grey’s Anatomy episode with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. To me The Goodness is a subtle look. Its the laughter found in the loss of a staring contest. Its the sun flare at precisely 7:10pm when the light is golden and buttery. But at that very moment The Goodness was a smile between a woman and man. Becoming aware of The Goodness has made me a better person and a more profound artist. Its presence surrounds me with every person I photograph. I am thankful not to have found it, but to have realized it was there all along.
I love this. It’s worth the time to read.
“Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.
Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag.She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.
She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.
Buy her another cup of coffee.
Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent. Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.
It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.
She has to give it a shot somehow.
Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.
Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.
Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilightseries.
If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.
You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.
You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.
Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.
Or better yet, date a girl who writes.”
Q
I forbid you to go crawl in a hole and die.
Well, at least until I come back to L-Town and get to see your lovely face.
And then I shall feed you jellybeans and convince you to stay.
=)
Well, at least until I come back to L-Town and get to see your lovely face.
And then I shall feed you jellybeans and convince you to stay.
=)
from:dearjarvis
A
hahahha love you long time rachel :)))))))0
Q
dude yes. you totally quoted me.
im so glad i could put it into words for you!
im so glad i could put it into words for you!
from:cornerofmysoul
A
:)))))))))))))))) you are gr8ness :) i would’ve quoted you but i couldnt figure out how to quote a blog user. i am tumbldumb.
Posted July 28, 2011 at 12:55am
i don’t open up much to people about stuff easy because of how my life is and what ive been through…and so ive lost a lot of people in my life. i feel likes its my fault though. like i should be more selfless? like i should just not care about that i’m hurt. but i don’t think thats right.
Posted July 27, 2011 at 3:48am
5 new followers on Tumblr…
5 new friend requests on Facebook:
Forever Reblog.
I Reblogged This Like Twice.
(Source: forever-trending, via justswinglife-away)
