lighting the way

 "Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle and the life of the candle will not be shortened.  Happiness never decreases by being shared."  - Buddha

As 2011 fast approaches I find myself reflecting on this past year.  Taking a mental inventory of what i am ready to leave behind and what i want to carry forward into the new year. Do you find yourself doing the same? A new year always feels full of hope to me.  The endless possibilities of the unknown. 

2010 proved a tough year for so many, yet through our photography we shared, we hoped, we loved. We cried, we grieved, we celebrated, we got small, and bore witness. We honored the everyday, were brave, had faith, captured connections and found new friends.  In doing so we came together in our oneness. 

Today lets celebrate hopefulness together.  I lit this candle for all of us, to celebrate the sisterhood and all we openly shared here in 2010.  What beauty awaits us all in 2011?  Share an image of hope and possibility in the comments here today.  Let's make our way into the new year full of light and love. 

Comments

[Marcie]

What a beautiful..inspiring post.
Going into 2011 - this image speaks to what's here in the present..and looks out to beyond:
http://marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=1407

[christine]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35957913@N00/4967597157/in/set-72157606957865128/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/35957913@N00/4968195150/in/set-72157606957865128/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/35957913@N00/4967581671/in/set-72157606957865128/


http://just-travelin-through.blogspot.com/2010/09/paris-cafes-and-cathedral.html

[Karen]

Thank you.

Let your inner beauty blossom.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/karamello62/5302967876/

[Kat]

Hope and possibility - what a good thing to celebrate at the end of the year! I think rays of morning sunlight embody hope and possibility in a wonderful way.
http://www.kateyeview.com/2010/10/special-place.html

[Holly { Soupatraveler }]

May your year be filled with endless possibilities and many friends, old and new! http://www.flickr.com/photos/soupatraveler/4924854621/in/photostream/

[Trevellion]

This image makes me think of all the bridges we will have to cross in the coming year as part of our personal journey through life.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9970083@N02/5300167076/

[erika]

I can't wait for 2011. Even though 2010 was amazing, 2011 has to be good.

[Line]

womderful words!

http://gagazinecantons.blogspot.com/2010/12/amorosa-au-bout-du-reve.html

[Tara R.]

Life's Beautiful! We can always find beauty in the ugly, in the mundane... we just have to look for it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ifmomsaysok/4990224284/

[Tammy Lee Bradley]

We were channelling each other on this post! Wow.http://bloggingbradleys.blogspot.com/2010/12/sharing.html

[Kathy Winter]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathywinter/3564827488/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathywinter/3579361351/
http://kathycaptureslife.wordpress.com/

[humbird]

It is early morning here on the West Coast. I awoke moments ago from a dream in which I using my new macro lens to capture the glittering blues, greens and golds of dragon and damselflies. Outside is was deep winter and snowing, inside where I was taking pictures the dragonflies were dancing on air.

This year looks to be full of change for this girl, and I will have my ever present Canon friend to share in the beauty :)

[mary]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37719283@N04/5303584120/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37719283@N04/5303583206/in/photostream/
what a beautiful post, kristin. your words touch my heart, for i feel the same way. we all share a beautiful connection. we are sharing our hope today.
hugs to you.

[Beth]

Your posts always inspire me to think. Thank you for that.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14632491@N07/5218612617/in/set-72157625171414893/

[anna beth]

my hope for the world in 2011 is that everyone will make more of an effort to love each other unconditionally:
http://helloannabeth.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/dsc_0119.jpg

and my hope for myself is that i take time to take in every moment of my life and just be free:
http://helloannabeth.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/dsc_0314.jpg

thanks for allowing us to share our photos. it's always nice to be able to share the pictures we're most passionate about, and shutter sisters always encourages me to grow as a photographer.

love,
anna beth

[Bettina]

Thank you.... Shutter Sister's has changed my life... and given me the hope to be a better photographer..

here is a single candle, reflected...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bettina2/5270721704/

Wishing for you, and all the best in 2011.

[MonybeaN]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/monybean/5294457793/
<3 here is to remembering [M]

[Kathy]

I am hopeful for my husband's recovery. At 27, right after Thanksgiving, he had a stroke. Each step forward seems to have a step back of some sort. But we are moving forward.

http://mrssoup.wordpress.com/2010/12/29/hopeful/

I am hopeful.

[WorthIt!]

Hope & possibility!

Thanks for all the wonderful images you've shared today and throughout 2010.

Instead of getting frustrated by my dog's constant digging, I'll try to look at it as a sign of hope and possibility. I'm sure she's hopeful she'll find something divine every time she starts to dig!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52055227@N07/5303409967/

Thanks for this change in perspective as we enter the new year.

[Jamie Solorio]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49026977@N05/4901780854/in/set-72157624575360949/

This picture represents the hope I have for my daughters to grow and become happy women. Thank you Shutter Sisters for this site, your book, and all of the great inspiration that flows from you onto me!!!! :)

[maria]

hope. light. to new and better. i am ready.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22443649@N00/5304215470/

[xanthe]

loving your message today, thanks kristin.

wishing us all a year ahead full of light and love x.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xantheberkeley/5304069897/

[Meghan]

Love this post. Here's my light for peace (from last week). http://liferefocused.wordpress.com/

[claudia]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurohunt/5035914637/in/photostream/
whenever I run across this shot I start thinking "the sun'll come out tomorrow" not sure why, except that it's cheery, and bright, the sky is so blue and the sunflower's face is so yellow... and it makes me smile!

[brandi]

lovely post!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandelionseeds/5304370267/

[Brenda]

In celebration of 2010:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gottgraphicsdesign/5286008326/

I just found your group; received the book for Christmas; in just a few short weeks have found a community.

[Jess]

I am so excited for 2011. I want to PLAY, PLAY, PLAY!!!

http://jessicavescera.blogspot.com

[Elizabeth]

my image (quite literally) of hope: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mindwhisperings/5301334573/

[Texan Mama]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/texanmama/4450765035/

Okay, I'm going to be the first to admit that this photo is NOT anything spectacular in terms of composition, lighting, etc. But this photo is of my children, picking up trash during spring break.

I am hopeful that my children will learn more about being members of their community. I hope that I can be a more patient mother. I know that this hope lies squarely with my children who have largely been kept from the ugliness of this world (so far) and still are very idealistic about what their future can hold.

I am hopeful that I can fan that flame, encouraging them to grow and help and be generous, instead of extinguishing that flame with harsh reality. I hate the phrase "sometime life's not fair." No it's not, and that's one of the first things you learn when you quit dreaming like a child and start facing the real world like an adult.

I think we'd all benefit from thinking like a child more.

[Laura Louise]

Oh Kristin...so glad I logged on tonight. Would not have wanted to miss this. Your words inspire!! It was a big year...yes? And although there are some things I would not have chosen to happen, I'm glad they did. Cheers to 2010 and welcome 2011! Glad all of you are with me on this journey...xo

[Kara]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ketchuplover/4364206178/in/set-72157623326104555/

I took this photo last year around the time of the Haiti disaster...hope.

[Beth]

I often look into the faces of my children and get filled with a mix of love, pride, hope, wonderment and the sense that the best lies in looking ahead.

Since they don't like having their pictures taken much less published, hard for this shutterbug Mom, I will share a picture of the other place I look for the inspiration of endless possibilities. The sky.

Thank you, Kirstin.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/acadia62/5022799782/

[marday]

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