I mentioned to you that I met up with a friend on Thursday, we discussed our actions in life, how those could be comedy in disguise of effort. Well, yesterday I was washing dishes and thinking about that conversation, and me saying I spin plates. I asked to be shown more clarity with the conversation in mind, and how I tend to just keep going, going, and going when that’s probably not the best thing to do. I released that thought in my mind, and went to let the dogs out the back door.

I was walking back to the sink, as I had a pan soaking, I heard a sound, it sounded like running water. I had just cleaned the bathroom prior to soaking the pan and washing other hand wash items, so maybe it had been 20 minutes or so since I finished the bathroom, but I thought it could be the toilet running or something. The closer I get to the bathroom, the louder the sound becomes, and the more I realize it isn’t running water. I was a bit frightened at what that sound could be, what could it be?!?

And then, with a laugh, a creepy feeling and yet some acceptance, I realized that it was the electric toilet brush spinning. SPINNING. This thing has a switch that couldn’t have been flipped, has never turned on by itself, and was no where near a person or pet that could have turned it on. In fact, it makes a click sound when you turn it off, and it clicked when I turned it off earlier. Hmmmmm. Let me tell you all, that was not lost on me. Immediately, my mind said, it’s all shit. The toilet brush, the spinning plate. It is all crap that is unnecessary. The spinning isn’t needed or required. It is a waste of time, effort and energy, and it is harmful to me.

Wow. So, what should I be doing instead of spinning plates? Whatever I choose to do with my time that is good for me, productive for me, feels good to me, makes me happy, and that I don’t have to laugh at myself about because the alternative is nothing good. I so wanted to message my friend and tell her, because I knew she would get it too, but I am waiting to see if she has her own experience, similar to this, as we often go through things on the same timeline.

Life is interesting, people are in your life at the right time for whatever reason. Maybe they need to assist you, maybe you need to assist them, maybe you are to reward them with learning from them, or vice versa. Perhaps, they are there, as you are, so that you can row the boat together, and not alone? Whatever reason, season, or lesson someone is there for, always be thankful that they were placed in your life. And be thankful when your toilet brush answers your question so quickly!

Drop me a line, have you had a question answered in a way you totally didn’t anticipate, maybe it was a bit unsettling to you? I would love to know, truly!

I took a big sigh before I started typing this, to cleanse my mind, to release some tension, and to remind myself of my purpose. I will preface this by saying that often times, what we think our purpose is, is only the opportunity to serve in a specific capacity, most likely having been derived from a wound or traumatic experience. For the longest time, I thought my purpose was to help people via Massage Therapy, that was simply a chapter in my life, the opportunity to serve in a healing capacity, but that was not my soul’s sole purpose, it’s bigger than that.

I am not saying that energy work, me placing my hands upon people for assistance, or the type of work I did via massage therapy wasn’t essential, it most certainly was…but I have had some epiphanies that have helped me to understand that was not my purpose as I had assumed. Much like this blog, I feel strongly about putting my thoughts, experiences, observations, and words out here for your consumption and consideration, not because it is about me, gets me noticed, or makes me feel a certain way about myself. It is part of another act of service that lends to my greater purpose, I am a messenger, I am God’s agent, and I live from that perspective(mostly, I am not perfect, or even proficient somedays).

See, if I remove myself, my ego, my shortcomings and flaws, I am left with a better version of me that serves with more humility. THAT, is the point, to serve and work towards God’s likeness, not my own. I can encourage a student to pick their camera back up, to not give up, to convey that it takes time to learn, and trust me, you never stop learning, but also to joyfully see their excellent results the following day, knowing that it may have been my words that I spoke, but it was not my message, I was just the messenger. I act courageously when I am to deliver messages, I am bold, I say the words with love, care and hope, just like I do when I type these words to you. But it isn’t for me, well, not for my ego or vanity, but for me in the sense of fulfilling my purpose.

If I am being 100% truthful and authentic, with you and myself, I can say with absolute certainty, that may not even be my purpose, but what I am now assuming it is, what I have come to the conclusion it is, what all signs point to it being…however this may be just another chapter of unveiling what my true soul purpose is. It isn’t that I am wrong, it is the fact that all is not yet revealed to me, and may never be while I breathe on this Earth. Can you imagine, after you pass, your true purpose is revealed to you, and you laugh as it makes you feel like you were a contestant on $100,000 Pyramid, you basically described all about and around your purpose, but you never truly knew the right word you were describing?! Yeah, that will most likely be me, but I can see myself laughing after finding out, and amazed at what it really was. “Erin, your purpose was to be a painter.” I say that only because I have made mention about the desire to paint-I am goofing here!

Anyhow, I pay to write this blog. I pay to have this “hobby”. I pay to have a website for this blog. I don’t advertise, I just recently decided to monetize, because I stopped working and took much needed time off, not that it has yielded anything-monetizing. I am making a decision to renew these things yearly, and always with a TON of consideration, but ultimately choosing to do this, because it is part of my journey, it’s what God calls me to do. It isn’t for ego, notoriety, or finding my self worth, although it has been therapeutic for me in many ways. No, I do this as an acting agent of God, I do this for you, to serve you, I do not do this for me.

Drop me a line, tell me, what do you get from my blog? There are no right or wrong answers, simply what your impressions are from reading what I post. I would love to know, maybe it will reveal something to me?!

*also, before I hit publish on this, I looked at Brooke and asked her: “Do you ever write a blog post and ask yourself why you are putting this shit out here?” Brooke nodded her head and said, “Not blog post, but spam post on Instagram.” The purpose for me to include this for value is: it provides value in that we don’t always want to do what we are called to do, but we do it in hopes that it helps another, makes another feel less alone, makes you think/better awareness, shows you that some of us are totally not perfect and that’s not only normal, but real and genuine.

A friend asked me recently if we could meet up and have a photography free play time. I am always up to shooting something different, see what I can see, see what turns out. My friend, Roger, suggested that we draw a subject/topic to shoot, and while that was the plan, the topics may have been left at home for us to come up with a new plan.

As Roger and I were sitting at the corner on Paint Street, we were greeted by a friend if Roger’s. He suggested that we shoot rooftops, and see what all angles we could get…a super idea and concept that we probably need to revisit, but Roger and I sat and chatted the whole time we had allotted today, so we shot a few shots from where we sat.

We compared settings, compared how we see the same thing, and talked about photography techniques and technicalities. We also talked about business, things coming our way with photography, and some other photogs that have inspired us. You know, I don’t think we even scratched the surface of what all we can discuss.

Honestly, I tried to shoot what caught my eye and made me think or feel something. Noticing the little things makes me feel as though I am paying homage to the smallest thing, to the largest thing, to the whole thing. This always leads to me considering what the building, structure or landscape looked like before.

I edited each photo differently too. I like to try new things, use different techniques and yield different results, just because I can. Oh, someday I will stop playing and get serious, but for now, I enjoy the freedom of creativity with no rush to say this is my style and only what I shoot.

If you have been following my work on my Facebook page, E.robinsonphotos, then this looks familiar. My cover photo is an image of Chillicothe from Grandview cemetery, this caught my eye then, just as it does now, but I think at this distance it is the caged ladder that catches my eye most.

Drop me a line, let me know what you did today, was it something new, maybe exciting? Did you help others, or yourself, maybe both? Perhaps you didn’t do any of that, so let me know what you did!

Oh, and I also went the field house with the Senior CHS cheerleaders so they could paint their megaphones at the field!

I woke up at 4:30 to go to this morning’s sunrise flow, and as a fellow yogi said, I just have to be open to getting up and starting my day this way. I used to be great at my 4:30 wake up call, and then I wasn’t, but I think I will be able to return to being great at rising before the sun, as life is a series of ebbs and flows, and right now, I am in the flow.

Nothing is permanent, including our mindset and what that entails. We can find the value and need to have a strong mindset…but that can at some point hinder us. We can have a kind and caring mindset…but at some point that can exploit us. We can have a tough, take no shit mindset…but that can harden us. Basically, we can meme about mindsets, talk about what kind of mindset is necessary for ____situation, OR….

We can realize that we are all on our own journey, and while specific or certain mindsets serve us in specific or certain situations, that doesn’t really encapsulate our need for differing mindsets, and flexibility within those as things evolve, change, or grow. I often feel like people judge others, their mindset and where they are at mentally/emotionally, even though they are not the one going through or navigating the situation/experience. Brooke had a wreck the other day, I can tell her not to hate the man that pulled out in front of her, he made a mistake and anyone could have done the same, but I can also tell her that I understand why she feels that way, I can love and support her and listen to how she is feeling, and changing within those feelings or thoughts associated. Same thing with Maria, she guides me in yoga, I can tell her where I am at mentally, but explain that things are evolving, I am evolving, and she readily accepts and supports it. It is all flow, people.

Do you flow, do you evolve and change? Do you provide room and space for others to do the same? I am heading to Rost this morning to meet up with a friend, we will be discussing this same topic, as she has recently discovered something about her health, but it will transcend in to her psyche, mental and emotional health too, because that is where it evolved from. Ah, not everything is starting place to finish, but a transition between places in our minds, hearts, heads, gut, and body, and everything encompassing and associated in between.

Drop me a line, let me know how you flow, what your current mindset you are focusing on is, and if you have found awareness in not living life linearly, but forward nonetheless!

Holy cow, time has flown by!!! We have one week until school starts at our house!!! We have had a pretty busy summer, but honestly, I am about to get in to a productive stride, and I am completely ready! Are you preparing for back to school, have you already seen someone off, or are you just following along the school calendar in general to mark your months?

What have you done this summer that you would do all over again? What didn’t you do that you wished you had? Will you miss the summer warmth, or are you looking forward to cooler temps? Personally, I love sweatshirt weather, the whole coziness of a cool fall night, but warmth of a fall day, makes my heart swoon!!!

And y’all, FOOTBALL SEASON. O-H!! Go Cavs!!! (Quietly saying Go Warriors!-always.) Are you looking forward to a fall sport of some sort, or maybe the ending of a summer sport/league? Perhaps you are just ticking days off for another reason altogether? You know, like a blog that you use to mark time, lol.

Anyhow, I am enjoying my time with Brooke, what’s left before school officially begins. I have some time with friends scheduled before school craziness, in my life and theirs, and I have some regular appointments to attend before next Thursday. Don’t mind my hair flick and wide open mouthed smile, that’s just the results of a haircut and teeth cleaning!

Drop me a line, let me know what’s happening with you in this time of transition and change, I would love to know!

We recently talked about books, but today is National Book Lover’s Day, so we can discuss books again today! Do you remember me telling you that I had picked up two books on my recent trip to Barnes & Noble? I finished the Nicholas Sparks book on Friday, read another book and finished yesterday, and am starting to read my other B&N find now! So, what am I reading?!

The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare, by Kimberly Brock didn’t sound appealing when I read about it on Amazon, I think the reviews were lacking, but when I picked it up in my hands at Barnes & Noble, I felt that I had to read it. Sure I love the jacket of the book, but I feel, after reading the inside of the jacket, that the substance is there to be a great book. Have you ever had a similar experience of reading online about a book, so you pass over, but in person you feel completely different about it?

Tell me, what’s your favorite book? Who is your favorite author? What is your favorite way to purchase a book, or to read a book, device or actual book? Also, did you love to read as a kid, do you foster that in your kids or other children? I would love to know, drop me a line!!

Sonny wanted to remind you that you just need to keep smiling! Some things/days/people will be challenging, but you just have to keep it in perspective, just keep smiling!

Do you have 1, or multiple, guardian angels, and do you believe in them? I believe that we have loved ones watching over us, at all times, and we tend to forget on days that are humdrum and typical. However, on days when things happen to remind us that we are being watched and guarded over, we tend to be even more thankful, more mindful and more appreciative of those guardian angels and what they do for us.

Brooke was in a car accident today. She was going slower than the speed limit because she didn’t know the road, and she left an hour early so she could take her time on a 25-30 minute trip. The State Highway Patrolman said that she couldn’t have done a better job of driving to avoid hitting a driver that didn’t yield. He said, things could not have gone more perfect, and informed the other driver that Brooke’s actions saved him and his vehicle. Sadly, it didn’t save Brooke’s car or nerves.

While the situation could have had disastrous, grave results, someone was watching over Brooke and the man and his passenger. Someone said not today. Whew, how do you be thankful enough for that?? Not sure how I will, but nonstop prayers and thanks to God and guardian angels is how I will be spending my days for a while.

Do you ever see something you have never seen? You can wonder, you can guess, you can look it up, you can, or not, find the answers. Let’s take a look at some pictures that have made us wonder, what is that?

Drop me a line, let me know what you have found that was strange, but ended up not being quite that strange at all! Bonus points for pictures! Oh, and I am open to your crazy thoughts on my pictures!