This week Tina from Travels and Trifles is asking us about gratitude and what we are grateful for. I find this a hard concept to get my head around, as I don’t think we, as Australians, think like that. I have tried to get my head to work out what I could do and I realised that while we don’t think gratitude, we do think lucky. That is the word that comes to mind. We feel lucky when we have wonderful things in our lives, and unlucky when bad stuff happens.
I suppose since we don’t do Thanksgiving here is not something that we are really told to think about and we never really share what we are grateful or lucky for. We just quietly accept that we are for what we have.
So how do I do this post, that is the question.
I suppose I can look at the things that I’m lucky for, which probably will translate to gratitude in some way. I’m lucky to have my husband and daughters, but none of them want their photos here, so you have to take my word for it that I do have a husband and two daughters.
I feel very lucky for the life I have now as I see so many people in the world whose lives are just horrible for one reason or another. I feel quite safe here on the other side of the world with everything that is going on around the planet. Also one of the things I love about Melbourne is that we don’t really experience many natural disasters or storms. We do get some, but on a much smaller scale than most other places. Wind and rain are the worst we seem to get.
So maybe I will start there.
My home.
The first three photos are from near where I live and the other three are from the city of Melbourne. This is a city that I love and feel so lucky to live in. It has been very good to me in many ways and I’ve never regretted the decision I made 38 years ago to move here.
My garden.
When we first purchased our house one thing I thought would be fantastic was the garden. I was 6 months pregnant when we moved here and then I had a baby, so you can imagine how much gardening I really did. Over the years I had tried to get stuff done, but things always got in the way.
The pandemic for all the bad things that did happen, was a period of luck for me. I loved being home all the time and it finally gave me the opportunity to get my macro garden going. I had always wanted a garden that I could grow flowers in and then use them for macro photography. I feel like I am finally getting there and now I feel so lucky that we never sold our house or moved somewhere that didn’t have space for a garden.
Here is a selection of flowers that I have photographed from my garden in the last few years.
Photography saved my sanity.
It can never be denied that photography really did do wonders for me when we were going through a not so lucky time. Some horrible things happened with one of our daughters which meant visiting police, court appearances and trying to give our daughter the support she needed. When you go through something like that you have to have something that helps you keep yourself together. For me, that was getting out to take photos. Going out with friends who were separated from it all and just letting me be me for a short time. I am so lucky that I had those friends and allowed the time to go out and take photos to express myself.
These are some of the photos I took way back when I was going through a lot of the unlucky stuff. I think the last one is very symbolic of what photography meant to me.
That was a bit heavy, but non the less, I am going to leave it there. Coming from a childhood that was all about survival in some ways, to being where I am now I know that I am and have been very lucky. I love my life now.
So thank you Tina for this introspection on our lives, interesting post really. I hope I have fit the brief. I ask the rest of you to please go and take a look at Tina’s post, the link is at the beginning here.
If you would like to participate in this great challenge then go to the following link to find out how to join the Lens-Artists Challenge, click here for more info. Don’t forget to put a link in your post back to the host.
Your Macro flowers are very beautiful and it’s great that, seeking distraction from your troubles, you found your way into this art, Leanne. I remember times when you were unhappy, and this is a wonderful celebration of where you are now.
Thank you so much Jo. You have a good memory, I am so much happier these days, so photography and my garden deinitely me lots of joy.
Ok
Yeah
What country
I’m in Australia.
Good
😀
Interesting and touching to hear how photography provided a positive route during difficult times. We now all have the privilege of observing the fruits of this relation.
Thank you Geoff, I think a lot of us have similar stories.
Such a beautiful post!! You call it luck but it sure sounds like gratitude to me!!
Thank you Nora, I think they are the same, we just call it something different here.
Very heartfelt post, Leanne. That’s the sum-total of life – lucky stuff and not lucky stuff. Now that you mentioned the cultural difference, I am actually wondering what is the Indian attitude. I think mostly people believe in Karma. When life is good, we say it’s because of our past good karma and when not so good, we say it’s because of past bad karma. And the past is not limited to one life – we believe in rebirths. The gratitude part – I am not sure. With globalization, I don’t know anymore what is real and what is adopted behavior!
Thanks for explaining how your culture looks at Karma, we use the word, but I don’t think we see it the same way. I just know when I started thinking about gratitude I just couldn’t think of any time that I have heard it used like that here. That is when I realised we think luck a lot more. I get what you mean with globalisation, we are all losing it in many ways, it is very sad. Thank you so much PR.
I love the beautiful photos and the honesty, Leanne. And I can relate in so many ways. To see life in retrospective, what we went through and overcame, is often outstanding. You certainly can be proud of your life today, or, to use the word of this challenge “grateful” for your strength and courage to fight off obstacles!
Thank you Yanaj, I’m glad you liked it. I think many of us have to overcome hardships before moving on. I’ve been through a few and I know we will always get through them, sometimes it just takes time.
Very true…🌺🙏
😊😊
You may prefer to use the word lucky but I think you’ve shown us that you truly are grateful for these things
Thank you Sarah.
Thanks so much for your take on gratitude versus luck, Leanne. It’s a fitting comparison for this challenge. I could see a different tone in this post from your photography-centric posts. Thanks for sharing a bit of your other life.
You’re welcome John. I thought it would be interesting to see how other countries see it. Yeah, this one was a bit more personal, so I guess it was different. Thank you so much John.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and a piece of your life, Leanne – and of course your beautiful photography. Keeping sanity – yes, that’s what Mother Nature and the forest does for me too. And I always bring my camera. We all have to go through bad things in our life, and friends are essential as is Nature’s quietness. I see why you are glad you have your garden – and we are all grateful for your wonderful images. They are for loosing ourselves in – and being glad you are there and having a good life. ♥
You’re welcome Ann-Christine and thank you. We do don’t we, something about what does not kill us and all that. The garden is so good, just a lot of work really. They really are.
You are so lucky and have much to be grateful for!!
I am in so many ways, thank you Esther.
Beautiful!!!
Thank you John.
Leanne this is such a beautiful response to the challenge. As always your images are wonderful but even more I appreciated your sharing a bit of your life with us. I know exactly what you mean about photography taking us away from our worries, even if just for a bit. I find the same thing with my walks on the beach. Both are food for the soul.
Thank you Tina, I don’t always share stuff because I tend to think my blog is about photography, so I have always tried to keep it to that. I like that food for the soul for sure.
Leanne, we are lucky, to use your word, to be able to see these beautiful images you share with us. Great post!
That is really nice of you to say Egidio, thank you so much.
Thank you for sharing your life’s moments with me, Leanne, God bless your family. 🙏🏻❤️ Beautiful photos, I love the macros.
Thank you John, that means a lot.
You’re welcome, Leanne. 🥰
😀 😀
Your post resonated with me, Leanne. Luck or gratitude, I think the feeling is the same, you appreciate what you have. I loved how you said Photography saved your sanity. I know I’m in a bad place if I don’t feel the need to take a photo. Your photos are beautiful as always but it was your words that made the post for me.
Yes, I think the feeling is the same too, we just call it something different here. Yeah, that can be bad, have to take photos no matter what, always feel good after it. Thank you so much Sofia, that is so good to hear.
Nice post 🌺🌺
Thank you Satyam.
Thank you for sharing a little of your family’s story – it can’t have been easy. But whether luck or gratitude, you’ve showcased much that gives colour to your life, in the photographs – which seem to give you so much solace in the making of them.
No problem Margaret, it happened quite some time ago so with time it is easier. Photography really does do that Margaret, thank you so much.
What a heartfelt post Leanne. None of us gets out of life without some hardships to overcome. I’ve had my share also. But isn’t it wonderful that with friends and a passion for something we can overcome it all. I will always remember my Australian trip and your beautiful city. Friends brought me there and I enjoyed a special time with you, my friend. For that I’m grateful. I wish I could come back on this next trip, but I doubt my health would allow me to keep up with an 18 year old and our money has been designated for a trip through the Panama Canal.
That’s for sure Anne. I think we all have to realise that there are always others. It is wonderful indeed. I’m so glad you enjoyed your trip. I’m, of course, sad that you aren’t coming back, I would have kept you here to explore Melbourne with me, but that is okay, I’m sure the Panama Canal will be almost as good, lol. Thank you Anne.
I would have loved to come back. That auto accident really set me back and there’s just so much money to go around. Maybe someday.
Money is always a problem and when you get injured that is even worse. Maybe one day, who knows what will happen.
You have so much to be grateful for. I have noticed from visiting Sydney and the Aussies I follow that there is a laid back attitude there. It’s great for me to know what the weather is like in Melbourne, I don’t think I will leave America but if I did I’ve known for a long time I would go to Australia. You’re lucky!
Thank you so much, yeah, I would say we are pretty laid back. I love Australia, not that I think we are perfect, we have lots of problems here, but it isn’t a bad place to live.
What country doesn’t have any problems? I associate Aussies to Texans in the Texas where I live is pretty laid back. But Amaerica is very different than Australia, my main concern is price. That’s because I’ve never completed a dollar conversion but it seemed expensive in and around Sydney. Have a great day.
So very true, they all do, Yes, Australia is very different, in so many ways. It is an expensive country, but we get paid a lot better too, so it isn’t too bad for us. YOu have a good one too.