photo taken by my cousin, lindsey, using instagram on her iPhone.
i admit that i’m a little into technical gadgets and such. and i admit that i’m a lover of apple products. one of my favorite apps on my iPhone is instagram. it’s a photo app where you can take pictures or upload them, and then choose which filter you want to use to make the pic a little artsy. i’ve been using it like crazy since this past summer here on my blog. well, one of the coolest things about this app is the ability to follow other people’s pics too. so, it’s a photo social media thing. i’ve got a cool family (in sweden & in the states) and some of them are using this app… so, i am able to stay in contact with them and see little snippets of their lives through the photos they take. and i loooove being able to stay in contact with my family in this creative way!
well, this morning i woke up, rolled over, & reached for my phone. yes, it is the first thing i do in the morning. i checked my email, checked facebook, checked twitter, and checked on some overnight news in the states. then, i checked instagram (saving the best for last!). one of the pictures i saw is the one posted above. my cousin had uploaded it last night when she was at my uncle’s home at the beach. almost all of my family lives right around there where that picture was taken. so, for me, it is a picture of home.
i had so many feelings rush over me when i saw the picture. the first was awe… i was amazed at the beauty that my cousin had captured. then, i felt peace as i gazed at the huge, warm sun setting over the water where i feel so at home & free. and the peace turned into a safe and contented feeling, knowing that some of my family was there. they were right there. in that moment. and i feel like i got to experience that moment with them a little, even though i am so far away. then, i wondered about my brother & his wife…. what were they doing that beautiful evening at the coast? i thought of my parents, what were they doing around sunset ? and finally, i thought of my cousins in college, & my aunt & uncle, the new empty-nesters in connecticut. that one single, little picture connected me in one moment in my heart to my family. and it felt fantastic.
so, thank you, lindsey, for sharing your sunset moment with me. and for giving me such a great feeling to start my day.
and good morning to all of you across the world! may peace follow you all day long.
Hi Liz! That’s our dock!!! I was so surprised to see it there this morning. I’m in Raleigh so missed the beautiful sunset.(though I think the app probably made it seem more surreal) 🙂 So happy for you getting your new job. I’m sure you’ll do great. Have a good day in Sweden!