Alana is my beach babe. At 6 months she is very interactive with her surroundings. Louis and i grew up at the beach, there's numerous frames filled with disposable camera shots captured with sandy toes and saltwater hair. We wanted Alana's first time at the shore to be memorable. I captured a few snippets here and there, and Louis compiled it in video form that you can see below.
But, aside from this joyful moment of Alana's first beach trip, I want to address the issue of kindness. I've talked about how I photographed 3 weddings this past weekend (a first for me!). It was so much fun and incredibly rewarding to stand by three brides who vowed eternal love to their significant other. However, there was an incident between a hotel employee and I which left me pretty shaken up and reminded me how valuable kindness is. Our interaction lasted about 5 minutes but he was so unkind and rude, that I had to sit for a few minutes and process the hostile situation within the confinements of my car. I had never been treated so poorly (and I've worked in some pretty tough environments before!). I asked him a question and he interrupted me mid sentence, giving me orders that had nothing to do with my question. He would not let me talk AT ALL. I maintained composure during the whole exchange, being polite in the midst of my confusion because I wasn't sure why I was treated the way I was but, I let management know what was going on and they immediately took care of the situation. I was very impressed with their customer service and attentiveness to me. I know my story is a little vague but the point I'm trying to make is that 5 minutes of interaction with someone has a bigger impact than you think. Are people leaving sad and confused after 5 minutes with you? Or are they left inspired and full of hope? Be kind to everyone you meet, and even when someone wrongs you, extend them kindness as well. They are the ones that need it the most.
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. —4:32 Ephesians