Saturday
There was a time when I questioned where God wanted me. Where—in this crazy place called life—was I headed and how long the expedition would be. Then I realized it’s not about the destination, but about the journey.
I grabbed my backpack, started my car, and headed to Palos Verdes. On my drive, I reflected on my week. How did things happen so fast? I no longer felt like I was moving in a particular direction, but, rather, being pushed. Even if I tried sticking my heels in the ground, I’d leave shoe imprints instead of staying still.
Just a few days earlier, I received an email from David Jay and he invited me to shoot along side him. At first, I was sure he emailed the wrong person. I mean, he must have meant the other Jasmine Star. Right?
Before I made my way into the Hilton Hotel, I was greeted with a big hug and a matching smile. DJ told me how happy he was to have me there with him. If he only knew. Just a few months earlier I was DJ’s bride and now we were going to shoot a wedding together. I couldn’t have dreamed for such a blessed opportunity.
We decided to have breakfast before we started shooting. Over eggs Benedict and a warm waffle, we talked about everything. Life. Business. God. Life. I promise, the only things missing were glasses of chilled lemonade and burning fireflies to make it like a scene out of a movie.
What struck me the most was DJ insisting that one of the most vital things to succeed in this industry is faith. Faith that a business will blossom. Faith in thinking outside of the box. Faith that the journey is just as important as the destination. DJ had no clue how close to home his words were hitting. Every sentence pricked my heart because I knew I needed faith more than I needed anything else. I hung onto his words—picking them out of midair and filing them away in the Never Forget file in my brain—and instantly knew it was the sign I was looking for. God used him as my confirmation. I’m going forward full-throttle with photography and I’m faithful I will succeed.
By the time we began shooting, I my heart was so full I though it might explode. I watched DJ as he floated around the room almost silently, only pausing to capture a moment. And to capture it beautifully. He kept the afternoon light and fun, so the experience was better than I could have ever imagined.
I’ll spare the oh-my-god-can-the-ground-please-open-up-and-swallow-me-whole moments because [in retrospect] they don’t matter. I dreaded the idea of opening that part of myself to a third party. The part of me that likes to keep things under wrap until they’re perfect. I didn’t want DJ seeing the images on my LCD screen…I wanted to crop, color correct, erase, burn, lasso, and ShowIt effect them before he saw what I’m made of. I like things perfect.
Instead, upon seeing a mistake, he gently fixed a setting, proffered a lens, or patted my shoulder. He couldn’t have been more gracious. Or kind. Or simply wonderful. I learned more from my mistakes than had I taken the perfect picture.
And mistakes are part of the journey, so I’ll have to learn how to live with them until I arrive at my destination.
I grabbed my backpack, started my car, and headed to Palos Verdes. On my drive, I reflected on my week. How did things happen so fast? I no longer felt like I was moving in a particular direction, but, rather, being pushed. Even if I tried sticking my heels in the ground, I’d leave shoe imprints instead of staying still.
Just a few days earlier, I received an email from David Jay and he invited me to shoot along side him. At first, I was sure he emailed the wrong person. I mean, he must have meant the other Jasmine Star. Right?
Before I made my way into the Hilton Hotel, I was greeted with a big hug and a matching smile. DJ told me how happy he was to have me there with him. If he only knew. Just a few months earlier I was DJ’s bride and now we were going to shoot a wedding together. I couldn’t have dreamed for such a blessed opportunity.
We decided to have breakfast before we started shooting. Over eggs Benedict and a warm waffle, we talked about everything. Life. Business. God. Life. I promise, the only things missing were glasses of chilled lemonade and burning fireflies to make it like a scene out of a movie.
What struck me the most was DJ insisting that one of the most vital things to succeed in this industry is faith. Faith that a business will blossom. Faith in thinking outside of the box. Faith that the journey is just as important as the destination. DJ had no clue how close to home his words were hitting. Every sentence pricked my heart because I knew I needed faith more than I needed anything else. I hung onto his words—picking them out of midair and filing them away in the Never Forget file in my brain—and instantly knew it was the sign I was looking for. God used him as my confirmation. I’m going forward full-throttle with photography and I’m faithful I will succeed.
By the time we began shooting, I my heart was so full I though it might explode. I watched DJ as he floated around the room almost silently, only pausing to capture a moment. And to capture it beautifully. He kept the afternoon light and fun, so the experience was better than I could have ever imagined.
I’ll spare the oh-my-god-can-the-ground-please-open-up-and-swallow-me-whole moments because [in retrospect] they don’t matter. I dreaded the idea of opening that part of myself to a third party. The part of me that likes to keep things under wrap until they’re perfect. I didn’t want DJ seeing the images on my LCD screen…I wanted to crop, color correct, erase, burn, lasso, and ShowIt effect them before he saw what I’m made of. I like things perfect.
Instead, upon seeing a mistake, he gently fixed a setting, proffered a lens, or patted my shoulder. He couldn’t have been more gracious. Or kind. Or simply wonderful. I learned more from my mistakes than had I taken the perfect picture.
And mistakes are part of the journey, so I’ll have to learn how to live with them until I arrive at my destination.
posted by Jasmine at 10:25 PM
2 Comments:
To quote one of Madonna's latest "you've heard it all before" ...so I won't repeat it here ;) We're rooting for you Jazzy!!
I bet you don't read these messages, but this is exactly where I am now. Except I don't know who to call on around here. I guess I need to move to Cali!
Love your honesty, Jasmine. So much that I am reading every single post. That is how close to my life your posts seem. I am hooked and will be so bummed when I get to the end. :-)
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