By Carol H.
Before I turn the page
over to Carol, I have the very sad duty of informing you that this will be
Carol’s last regular post with FOL. You see, Carol has another love … in
addition to her husband! You'll find the 'rest of the story' in her beautiful post below.
Carol promises me
she’ll pop up on our pages every now and again and there may even be a mystery
blogger waiting in the wings. So today, be sure to stop by to wish Carol well.
We’ve all been inspired by Carol’s photography and writing and have learned
from her and about her. I say with all sincerity, ‘Carol, we hardly knew ye!’
So come back often. ~ Dotti
Seems like sound advice doesn’t it? Follow your heart, find your passion, and then do that. But what if you have more than one passion?
I love taking pictures and processing them. I
love combing them with words to tell a story. That’s what is so great about the
blog platform. It’s a place where we can combine these things to tell stories.
And when we’re lucky, we find a community like Focusing On Life where these
stories are shared and a conversation begins. In these conversations we have
learned from one another, been inspired by one another, and been comforted by
one another. This has been my experience here at FOL and I am truly grateful to
everyone for that gift.
But I have another passion – gardening. I
don’t have a degree in horticulture, nor could I tell you the Latin names of
the plants in my garden. But I can tell you how wonderful it feels to work the
soil, feeling its cool moisture between my fingers. Its sweet smell reminding
me that nourishing the soul is work that begins beneath the surface, deep
within. I lose track of time when I’m out there.
I've been a member of Northwest Perennial Alliance (NPA) for a number of years. It is a wonderful non-profit organization dedicated to binging gardeners together to learn from one another through classes, workshops, and their Open Gardens program. I have benefited greatly from them and have been looking for a way to give back. That opportunity has now presented itself. I will be the new Open Gardens chair in 2014. It is a great honor, but one that requires a serious amount of time. In order to balance this responsibility with the rest of my life, I find I have a difficult decision to make. Following my heart I have found is very much like walking a labyrinth. Though I want to walk a straight path to the center, there are times I am forced to make a turn. And so, it is with much regret that I must step back from being a regular contributor here at FOL. I am so grateful to have been on this journey. All of you, contributors and followers alike have been so kind and encouraging. This community is a wonderful place to share. Focusing On Life has taught me the importance of focusing on my own life as a creative and surrounding myself with like-minded souls on the same quest, even though we may take different paths. All roads lead home. Just follow your heart.
Do you have more than one passion? How have you balanced your life to include them? What sacrifices have you made in order to follow your heart? Please share your story here, on our FB page, or show us through your pictures on our Flickr page, our Flickr phoneography page, or on Instagram with the hashtag #focusingonlife.
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Happy Holidays everyone! May the spiritual
light of the season guide you through the new year. Much love,
Carol
PS – I hope
to be a guest poster from time to time so I know our paths will cross again!
