I am still planning on sharing some upcoming plans for Rankin Photography, but today I wanted to tell you about a book I read in the fall of 2008 that I feel everyone would benefit from reading.  And to let you know (if you live in Canada) you can watch the author on “The HOUR” tonight.

The book is called “The Power of NOW”!  by Eckhart Tolle.  Many of you may know him better by the second book showcased on OPRAH called  “The New Earth”.  However, when I picked up the book “The Power of NOW” I didn’t make the connection, nor had I read or followed him and Oprah on their New Earth project.  I knew nothing about him, but thought it looked like an interesting book.  I have sinced bought two more copies to give away and tell many of my friends about the book as I believe he has a wonderful message and way to look at life.

His message in his book “The Power of NOW” is just that, how we need to learn to live in the “NOW”.  To live not for the future, for our self indulged Ego of where we think we need to get to or things we need to accomplish.  When we constantly live like this, then ultimately we become sad and unfulfilled.  Instead, we need to begin focusing on the only thing we really have, which is each moment we experience in the present moment, th “NOW”.

We don’t experience life in any other way other then in the “Now”.  The future will be experience as the “NOW”, the past was experienced as the “NOW”.  And therefore once we realize that “NOW” is all we have and will ever have, we can begin to be enlightened to our true self and being.

So many problems that we create will go away if we can live with a sense of being, of feeling and experiencing life, each moment rather then always thinking about where we want to be, or what we need to do NEXT.  Many of our problems are “mind created” problems.  We imagine all of the things that could go wrong, or if we could just get to that place, in the future, where we will finally be happy.  All the time forgetting to pay attention to what is right now.  Stress he says is “caused by being “here” but wanting to be “there”, or being in the present but wanting to be in the future.”  A split that tears you apart iside. He says “it is not uncommon for people to spend their whole life waiting to start living”.

I believe this to be so true.  I know I have lived much of my life like this.  Thinking that somehow things will just be better when I can “get that next job, or buy that next, bigger house, or have another child, or make more money”.  How many times do we find ourselves buying something we think will just makes us feel great, only to turn around and soon feel that emptiness inside.  The “thing” we managed to buy being only a “temporary fix” to our sense of emptiness and longing.  Or how we live our life with the goal of the future constantly taking up much of our daily thoughts.  Forgetting to just appreciate and live for each day and specifically each moment.  Never just letting ourselves be completely and totally in the moment we are living.

He talks to issues and feelings that pertains to each of us and how we are living out our lives.  Living in the egoic mind, constantly feeding it with thoughts of who we perceive ourselves to be, projections from others, or surrounding ourselves with things we think define who we are and what we want others to think we are.  We are so focused on the “goal” we have that we constantly “reduce the present moment to a means to an end.”  To achieve that goal.  “It takes the joy out of your doing if we are always just waiting to start living” and the present, the “what exists now” is never good enough.

OK, so I have told you a bit about this book.  There was so many profound statements for me.  A few…”narrow things down to this moment.  “Ask yourself what “problem” you have right now, not next year, tomorrow, or five minutes from now.  What is wrong with this moment?  You can always cope with the Now, but you can never cope with the future.”

Another quote “Your outer journey may contain a million steps; your inner journey only has one: the step you are taking right now.”

So, I if you were to ask me what book I would recommend, it would be this book, “The Power of NOW”.  And for some of you who are like me, a christian and have a strong faith, then you may struggle a bit with this book.  I did not, rather, I felt this book served to empowered me and expanded my faith I had in God, Christ and my own spiritual self.

One of the conversations and moments that resonates with me to this day is a conversation I had with my mother in law, Sally, who was understandably exhausted after a long ordeal of her mother being ill and dying in the hospital just days before.  Jeff, I and the kids were over for the funeral and I found Sally, his mother, resting quietly.  While we sat together, she talked about what a wonderful person her mother had been as she recounted to me some of her favorite memories.  As well as the last moments she spent with her.  Sally, my mother in law, was an only child and had a very strong connection and relationship with her mom.  DeeDee, Sally’s mother, Jeff’s grandmother. lived to be in her eighties and she was an incredible women.  She had all that she needed in life and could have probably bought a ton of more things to fill her life.  But on her death bed, in the last few minutes of her life, Sally told me how she turned to her and said “it is all just stuff”.  To this day, that message, those words delivered by a women I so admired has never left me.  Her last message to her daughter.  The enlightened moment of truth that she must have felt as everything else is stripped away and there is only you and your last moments on earth.

I believe that there are times when we all realize this same message.  Glimpses into what she must have felt.  That we see and feel that true sense of self and enlightenment.  For me it was certainly when both of my children were born, the exact moment I saw them and felt that incredible stillness and joy.  the entire experience I felt along with my husband, the miracle of life.  I truly believe for many of us, if we are not careful, it will take us a lifetime and perhaps down to our last moments in this world to truly understand all that we missed out on during our life.  The hope is there.  We can learn to experience it.  And I do feel that I have a truer sense of how to live now that I have read this book.

Have a wonderful day.  Live for this moment, learn to listen to your breathing, feel your true sense and the joy that comes with living for NOW.  No one knows what tomorrow will bring.

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My own kids.  Although my son is adverse to having his picture taken.  It is nightmarish to get him to agree or sit for even one.  He is 9 and I am told it is the age.  I am praying that is true and he will eventually come around.  Tell me it is true?

I took a few of MJ yesterday.  How did this happen?  I know… she doesn’t look six years old!  She has always looked older.

she can be such a goof.  And notice the two missing front teeth. She lost one the day after Christmas and the other within a week or so! 

This is the one I think she looks way too old in.

Off to shovel all the snow we had last night and today.  Kids home from school again!  At least it isn’t minus 40 degrees today!

Watch for a few announcements and exciting things happening at Rankin Photography.  I will post more in a few days.

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Since life is good and I am taking a break I thought I would try and pull my camera out for some fun shots.  Taking things around my house and elsewhere that inspire me.  I encourage you to as well.

My passion lies in all aspects of photography but I love macro work.  I need to invest in a good macro lens but for now I used my 24-70 with my macro settings for this shot.

These are rocks I bought that have ingraved words on them.  They resonate with me and sit on my desk in front of me to remind me of my beliefs and how I seek to live my life with hope and faith.  Faith that we need to all have in the good that still exists.

Jeff’s brother is serving for a full term in Afghanistan and I pray each night for him and his men.  For their safe return and a hope that lies in each of them to see their families again soon.  Remember to pray for them as well and always recognize the true treasures you have in your life.

a daily quote…

The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.

— Allan K. Chalmers

 Wishing you a happy Monday.

AND…. never lose HOPE.

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In October, I got a call one night from Mark and dumb me, could not place him and his last name… Roach.  Why?  Well, other then being out there at times, when I photographed their wedding a year ago I tended to deal with Julie, his wife to be at the time.  I was embarrassed, but then he forgave me and asked if I could fit them in to have their gorgeous new addition photographed.  I am so glad I did.

Mark and Julie are truly one of the sweetest couples you could meet.  They are genuine and heartfelt and I have adored getting to know them.

Here is the couple from last summer and their wedding day!  One of my favorite pictures of all time.

And here they are before Christmas with their newest addition to their world… Mr “O”.  Isn’t he adorable!!!

Proud parents.

He had the biggest eyes.

And then he fell asleep for us.

And he woke again.

It isn’t hard to see how much mom and dad adore him!

And I love this shot of Dad.  Mark is going to be an incredible Dad.  You are one lucky dude Mr. O!

Thanks guys.  Enjoy this time, and treasure each moment.  I know you are going to be wonderful parents!

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