Take the Shot

If I could only give one piece of advice to me as a young mom it would be to TAKE THE SHOT!  No, I don't mean to take your kids skeet shooting, I mean BE IN THE SHOT! Let me explain...

I am that annoying person at the gathering who always has to take pictures to remember the occasion, rounding everyone up for the group shot. People grumble, but in the end, they're happy to have the picture. "Some day, you'll be happy you have this", I say. "This is for future generations". I think they get it now, or maybe they just know that I'll make them do it anyway. 

It's so easy to take a pic these days. I can just prop the iPhone, set the timer, and jump in the group. No one is left out. It wasn't always like that. When Brittany was a baby, someone had to actually stand behind a camera, and it was usually me which was great, but there is another chapter to that story. You see, I was terribly insecure about my appearance. I was much more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it, and as a result, I'm not in a lot of those pictures.  I have lots and lots of pictures of my daughter with other people, but few of her and me.  I'm teary-eyed.

Friends, don't do this to yourselves.  Be in the shot. Let people take pictures of you in the shot. Stop being so critical of yourselves. You are beautiful just as you are.  I promise you, when you look back at those pictures years later, you're not going to see your imperfections, you're going to be taken back to that moment in time, and you'll smile. Because you were present.

Friends of those friends, encourage that mom. She may be feeling insecure. Take pictures of her with her babies, then send them to her. She'll cherish that more than you know. And years later, when she looks back at that shot, she'll also be thinking of you, and she'll smile. Because you were present.

In short, the memories will far outweigh your insecurites! Take the shot! Embrace the selfie! You are beautiful!