It started out with a request to borrow my phone from my eldest daughter. I relinquished the phone, distracted by the scene before me. Caught in the still small sound of water and whistling hummingbird off in a tree, I went to my far-away place. It was in that moment my thoughts came alive.

Unbeknownst to me in this intimate setting with myself, God, and nature, my daughter took a picture. I don’t like taking pictures. They’re always so formal and planned but scrolling through my gallery of photos on my phone, I ran across this still shot of myself. And it brought me back… calming my spirit and sending a joy resonating through my body.

It’s a vulnerable photo of me. I wasn’t ON or had to pretend. It was real and honest. In a world where we have to be STRONG and fake our way, I was talking to God. My protector. Don’t be afraid to be yourself because at the end of the day, it’s you who has to look in the mirror.  And, don’t borrow your phone to your teenage daughter. Lol!