| Subject: Letters to Samson - 28 More random bits |
Author:
Holly
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Date Posted: 10:23:34 06/09/07 Sat
In reply to:
Holly
's message, "Letters to Samson - 1" on 18:59:32 06/04/05 Sat
I don't know much. Every time I get a handle on life, I learn something that turns what I "knew" on its head, so take this all with more than a grain of salt.
1. A camera can be your best friend. When you're stuck, whether it's some kind of creative block or wondering whether you are where you're supposed to be or where to go next, a camera can answer your questions. I don't know whether film cameras will exist when you're old enough to do this, but I think they're better for this particular process. There's no cheating the film. No deleting. You have what you have, and you live with your choices. So, enough rambling. Here's what I want you to do:
Get a 36 exposure roll of film. If film still exists and you can get it developed somewhere. (If not, use digital, but NO CHEATING.) You're going to do 30 shots in 30 days. One photograph per day. No more. No extracurricular photos. Make it important. Something you really see. If nothing inspires you, go ahead and waste your shot. Do not write down what you have photographed. When you reach 30, rewind and develop. You will be wasting 6 shots, but it's worth it.
What do you see? Are there people in your pictures? Who are they? Is anyone missing? An insignificant other? How careful were you with exposure? Composition? Who are you? Do you like where you live? Are all the photos waste shots?
Which ones, if any, were you glad to see?
2. That stuff about keeping your birthday and star wishes a secret is bullshit. Never be afraid to speak to your desires. Name soap bubbles with your wishes and blow them right out into the universe. Then work to make them come true.
3. Not everyone can sing. And louder isn't better. But everyone has the right, and maybe the duty, to try to sing. The best way to become a good singer is to be a very careful listener. You have to be able to hear the music and hear yourself. Remember this the first time you read the First Amendment.
4. Everyone makes mistakes, and nobody I know enjoys doing so. The trickiest thing in the world for me is to learn from them and let them go. This is true for me, whether I'm the one who made the mistake or whether someone else has made one and let me down.
When I learn the secret to being okay with this, you'll be the first person I tell. In the meantime, make a habit of taking chances. Uh, make that reasonable chances. Buy a raffle ticket. Try a new game, a sport, a musical instrument. Say hi to a kid who looks lonely. Ask yourself, "What have I got to lose?" If the answer is, "My ability to walk," then that may be a risk you should avoid. If the answer is a buck or mere temporary humiliation, go for it.
5. I do not want you to think that what I just said means that fear is your enemy. It isn't. Fear is an adaptive response to risk. It can save your life. Nine times out of ten, you can trust your gut.
I love you.
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