Alone by choice…solitude

by Denise M. SessousMarch 13, 2016January 30, 2017

Cascades 005 — Cascades National Recreation Trail, Giles County, Virginia

“Solitude: Being alone without any regrets, sadness, or depression. Not to be confused with ‘loneliness,’ where you are by yourself but long for the companionship of others.”

– The Urban Dictionary

I am an only child. I grew up alone, but I wasn’t lonely. I actually preferred being alone, playing by myself in my own imaginary world.

As an adult, I cherish the time I spend alone, especially on a scenic hike. Being in the woods fills me with create energy. And, being in solitude restores my center.

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Bliss is…

by Denise M. SessousMarch 10, 2016January 30, 2017

…a cat in the sun.

Birdie in the sun — Don’t tell me cats don’t realize how cute they are… Birdie knows…

Free of an ego, animals just live in the moment. I took these photos a few years ago and I still get a wave of gooey-ness in my belly when I see these pictures. It’s as if their bliss is washing over me and I’m there in the sun with them without a care in the world.

Cats in the sun — So warm…Birdie (left) and Baby (right) soaking up the sun

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Water

by Denise M. SessousMarch 10, 2016January 30, 2017

So, I’m starting enjoy walking around on my lunch hour taking photos. Maybe three weeks of photo-blogging will result in a new healthy habit.

It’s funny how I’m finding the best pictures on my way back to the office. This one has a wonderful contrast of the rustic-feeling wooden dock and the industrial city skyline.

The horizontal orientation above. And some more water images below, cause I couldn’t help myself…

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Cobblestone Street

by Denise M. SessousMarch 8, 2016January 30, 2017

Checking out the streets of Richmond, VA at lunchtime today. Not a lot of people out and about even though the weather was gorgeous. At the very least, I’m glad I got to enjoy it.

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Home is where…

by Denise M. SessousMarch 7, 2016January 30, 2017

…the books, wine, cats are.

My home is in flux now. I’m moving in with my boyfriend at the end of this month. My apartment is becoming less and less home, but my boyfriend’s house hasn’t quite become home yet.

So, how does one define home when it’s in transition? What does home really mean?

When I was in high school, I used to sketch partial faces with sad eyes captioned with “I want to go home.” I would say it under my breath throughout the day. It became my mantra. One day, I walked through my front door, heaved my book-bag to the floor and said, “I want to go home.” This woke me up in a way. I was home, but I still wanted to go home. So, where did I really want to be? I realized then that home wasn’t a physical place, but a state of mind. When my heart and mind were at peace, I was truly home.

My world is in upheaval again. Not so much due to teen-angst, but the stress of paring down, getting a new space ready for all my stuff and getting all my stuff ready to move has me thinking about home and what it means.

Since taking a photo of my physical home is not an option, I decided to snap a pic of the things that bring me comfort. I had wanted to show a cup of tea or cocoa, but all my mugs are already moved. I had enough forethought to keep a few bottles of wine here. Thankfully, one of my cats (Birdie) decided she needed to get in on the action and added the warmth needed.

Lastly, for any book geeks out there, here’s a list of the titles in the photo. These all have special meaning to me and contributed to the breadth and color of my imaginary world.