Through It All

10/16/2026

Self-Discovery Daily Photo

Month 10 - Becoming Aware
Day 288 - I Notice Patterns

“What keeps showing up in my life that I've noticed individually, but haven't yet recognized as part of a larger pattern?”

For years, I encountered situations that seemed different on the surface but left me with a familiar feeling: acceptance came with conditions.

Different people.
Different expectations.
Different circumstances.

Yet the same underlying demand kept appearing: compliance as a condition of belonging.

I learned to remove myself rather than compete for acceptance or defend my right to make my own decisions.
But I've also noticed that removing myself doesn't necessarily remove the expectations others continue to place on me.

Today, I photographed an untitled anamorphic installation by artist Connor Wright at Saint Louis Bank.
Six hundred chess knights hang at different heights, appearing like separate pieces until, from a particular viewpoint, they form the St. Louis skyline.

What fascinated me was that the pieces didn't move.
I did.
The pieces didn't change.
My perspective did.
And suddenly, I could recognize the pattern that had been there all along.

That experience helped me put words to something I'd struggled to understand.
I wasn't simply encountering unrelated demands.
I was recognizing a recurring expectation beneath them.

Recognizing a pattern doesn't mean every situation or person is identical.
It doesn't mean I can control what others expect.

But it helps me see more clearly what belongs to me to decide—
and what doesn't.

I don't have to earn belonging by surrendering my autonomy.
Today, I'm becoming aware of the pattern beneath the pieces.

10/15/2026

Self-Discovery Daily Photo

Month 10 - Becoming Aware
Day 287 - I Adapt

“What have I learned to work around so well that I've stopped questioning whether the obstacle needs to be there at all?”

I've become very skilled at adapting to circumstances that don't reflect my values.

For years, I worked in environments where I loved what I did but struggled with how I was treated.
I wanted opportunities to learn, contribute, and advance without compromising my dignity to obtain them.

Eventually, I learned to protect my peace by removing myself from situations that came at too high a personal cost.

Avoidance became one of my adaptations.

But I've come to recognize something:
Removing myself from an environment doesn't mean I have to abandon the possibilities I once hoped to pursue within it.

Today, I discovered Gaia Fluttering Kaleidoscope, a mannequin artwork created by Alison Bozarth using recycled and repurposed materials.

What fascinated me wasn't simply its beauty.
It was how difficult it was to recognize the materials that had been reused.
I had to read the artist's description to understand what I was seeing.

Materials that once served one purpose had become part of something entirely new.

That discovery connected with where I am in my own journey.

My previous experiences didn't erase my knowledge, skills, ambition, or desire to contribute.
Those things remain available for me to use in ways that better reflect my values.

The history informs the creation, but it doesn't have to define how the creation is experienced.

I'm learning that adaptation doesn't always require me to change myself to fit an existing environment.
Sometimes it means using what I already have to create something different.

I spent years learning how to adapt to environments that didn't reflect my values.
Now I'm learning how to create environments that do.

And that's the direction I'm choosing to pursue.

10/14/2026

Self-Discovery Daily Photo

Month 10 - Becoming Aware
Day 286 - I Filter

"What information am I allowing to shape my understanding, and what information am I leaving out?"

Today, I photographed The Big Suit, an enormous pink business suit sculpture by artist Erwin Wurm.

When I first saw it, the thing that immediately caught my attention was the missing body.

There was this enormous suit, but nobody inside it!
I found it intriguing, so I researched the artwork to better understand what I was seeing.

As I reflected on today's prompt, I began thinking about how easily our attention can become focused on what's missing rather than what's present.

I've noticed this at family gatherings and class reunions.
People often spend time talking about those who didn't attend.

And I find myself saying, "Let's focus on the people who are here!"
Not because those who are absent don't matter, but because I'm intentionally training myself to focus on the positive in every situation.

I've learned that there will almost always be something missing, something disappointing, or something that didn't go according to plan.
But there can also be something wonderful happening right in front of me.

What captures our attention can become the focus of our experience, even when there's much more to appreciate.

I'm learning that acknowledging what's missing doesn't mean I have to dwell on it.
I can recognize disappointment without allowing it to overshadow everything else.

I cannot always choose what is missing from an experience, but I can be intentional about what I allow to occupy my attention.

This isn't something I've mastered.
It's a conscious effort I'm making as I continue becoming more aware of how I experience life.

It's an ongoing practice, not a finished achievement.

10/14/2026

Self-Discovery Daily Photo

Month 10 - Becoming Aware
Day 285 - I Overlook

"What has been right in front of me that I've never taken the time to truly explore?"

One thing I've discovered through my Self-Discovery Journey is how much I enjoy discovering and photographing public art.

I love researching sculptures and monuments, learning about their existence, finding their locations, and experiencing them for myself.

For today's prompt (I Overlook), I discovered the Lewis & Clark monument at Frontier Park in St. Charles, Missouri.

Now, here's what made this interesting.

I've visited Frontier Park MANY times throughout this journey.
When I discovered this monument, I couldn't remember ever seeing it.

I kept thinking, "Surely, I've seen this before. I've been to that park too many times!"

I expected to arrive, recognize it, and say, "Oh yeah! Now I remember!"

But that's NOT what happened!

This morning, I went water walking in the pool earlier than usual.
When I finished, it was golden hour, and I decided to drive by the monument.

My curiosity wouldn't allow me to wait.

And when I arrived, I couldn't believe it!
I HAD NEVER NOTICED THIS MONUMENT BEFORE!

There I was, standing in a familiar place, looking at something that had escaped my attention through countless visits.
And my word for today was OVERLOOK!

I was genuinely excited because I wasn't just photographing something to represent the prompt.
I was experiencing the prompt in real life!

I returned later to experiment with the lighting and photograph the monument from another perspective.
But the greatest discovery had already happened that morning.

This experience made me wonder how many other interesting things exist in places I think I know simply because I've never taken the time to look for them.

Today reminded me that familiarity with a place doesn't necessarily mean I've discovered everything it has to offer.

Sometimes, there's something new to discover in a place I've been many times before.

10/13/2026

10/13/2026

Self-Discovery Daily Photo

Month 10 - Becoming Aware
Day 284 - I Interpret

"How might the meaning I give to an experience differ from what actually happened?"

Two people can experience the same event and walk away with different interpretations.

I was reminded of this while thinking about a decision I made years ago.
Someone close to me remembers it differently than I do. We agree about what happened, but not what it meant.

I saw an opportunity to encourage independence.
That person now sees a decision that raised concerns.
I can listen to that perspective and take it seriously without pretending my own reasoning was different.

This morning, my devotions reminded me not to define myself through someone else's eyes, while also considering the experiences and burdens that shape how others see the world.

Then came my photo hunt.

I planned to photograph Synergism, a stainless-steel sculpture that can appear different depending on where you stand.
But when I arrived, it hadn't been installed!
Instead, I photographed the empty installation site.

To someone passing by, this might be an ordinary construction scene.
To someone familiar with the project, it might represent progress.
To me, it documents an unexpected change in plans—and a reminder that what we see doesn't always tell the whole story.

Today I'm recognizing that perspective influences interpretation.
Listening to someone else's view doesn't require me to abandon my own, but it does invite me to consider what I may not see.

The same experience can hold more than one meaning.

10/11/2026

Self-Discovery Daily Photo

Month 10 - Becoming Aware
Day 283 - I Assume

"What have I been treating as a fact simply because I've never thought to question it?"

For most of my life, I believed I knew my family history.

I knew who my siblings were, or at least I thought I did.

Over the years, two women came into my life claiming that we shared the same father.
Their claims were unexpected, and although I sought answers, I was never able to confirm what they were telling me.

So, the questions remained unanswered.

Years passed.
Decades passed.

Then, through Ancestry DNA testing, I discovered that what these women had been telling me all along was true.

I had two sisters I had never known as sisters.
I was shocked!

Not simply because my understanding of my family had changed, but because I began thinking about all the years we had lived without truly knowing one another.

The conversations we never had.
The memories we never created.
The relationships we never had the opportunity to develop.

As I've gotten to know more about their lives, I've found myself feeling both grateful for the truth and saddened by the time we've lost.

This experience has made me think differently about assumptions.

Sometimes, what we believe to be the whole truth is simply all the information we've been given.

And sometimes, the things we leave unanswered remain part of someone else's reality, whether we've confirmed them or not.

I'm learning that there is a difference between what I know to be true and what I have simply accepted as the complete story.

Just because I don't know something doesn't mean there isn't more to know.

And sometimes, discovering that truth changes more than what I believe.
It changes how I understand the people who have been part of my story all along.

10/10/2026

Self-Discovery Daily Photo

Month 10 - Becoming Aware
Day 282 - I Discern

“What am I beginning to recognize as right for me, even when it differs from what others might choose?”

I've learned that what is right for someone else isn't necessarily what is right for me.

Through my experiences, the lessons I've learned, and the relationships I've observed, I've become more discerning about what I welcome into my life.

One area where this has become especially clear is romantic relationships.

Some people believe I should actively pursue finding a partner.
I respect their perspective, but I've recognized that this approach isn't right for me.

I've accepted the possibility that I may never have another romantic relationship, and I am genuinely content with that.

That contentment didn't happen overnight.
It developed through experience, observation, reflection, and acceptance.

I've discovered that I don't need a romantic relationship to experience a fulfilling life.

I value companionship and meaningful connections.
But I also value mutual respect, reciprocity, and the freedom to live according to my own priorities.

I am not willing to exchange the peace and freedom I have cultivated for the possibility of a relationship that may not honor either.

Today's photograph of "The Awakening" speaks to two parts of my discovery:
breaking free from other people's expectations AND awakening to the realization that my life is already fulfilling.

I can appreciate the choices others make without feeling obligated to make those same choices for myself.

My peace includes my freedom.

And that freedom includes deciding which relationships, responsibilities, and commitments I welcome into my life.

Today, I discern that I don't have to pursue what others believe is missing from my life when I have already discovered contentment within it.

10/09/2026

Self-Discovery Daily Photo

Month 10 - Becoming Aware
Day 281 - I Acknowledge

“What am I giving myself credit for today that I might have overlooked in the past?”

I struggled with today's question.
Not because I couldn't think of things I've accomplished, but because giving myself credit doesn't always come naturally.

As I reflected, I thought about my Chosen Family.
I have always been grateful for the people who welcomed me into their lives, loved me, supported me, and became family through connection rather than blood.

But today, I realized something I had never really considered.

I've spent so much time appreciating the people who made room for me in their lives that I overlooked the ways I made room for them in mine.

I have contributed to these relationships, too.
Through staying connected.
Communicating openly.
Listening.
Showing respect.
Building trust.
Establishing healthy boundaries.
And being willing to work through disagreements.

I've practiced these for years without thinking of them as accomplishments.

Today, I'm acknowledging that they matter.

My Chosen Family didn't become what it is through my efforts alone.
Healthy relationships require mutual care and commitment.

But I was never simply a recipient of those relationships.
I was a contributor.

Today's photograph is especially meaningful. It captures me and my sister with the daughters of a woman whose family became my first Chosen Family.

Although she is no longer here, the relationships continue.
Looking at this photograph today, I see more than people I love.

I see a connection that has been cultivated over time.
And for perhaps the first time, I'm giving myself credit for my part in that cultivation.

I can be grateful for the relationships I've been blessed with AND proud of the role I've played in sustaining them.

Today, I acknowledge my contribution.
And I recognize that it matters.