Of Hope and Expectation, and Finding Color Again

 
Finding color again. It was a phrase I heard Penny De Los Santos utter back in 2010, when she spoke about the darkness that filled her world after a personal loss, and how eventually, a trip to India brought color back into her world. It was a phrase that resonated loudly with me.

For the past 3 years, I’ve been struggling to to re-awaken my motivation for many things that used to bring me great joy: writing, creating recipes, music, and making pictures. I tried many times, failed many times, then eventually stopped trying. Life got too busy, providing me with a convenient (albeit valid) excuse to put everything else on hold while we worked on rebuilding our home. Even when I resolved to try again, everything I did felt forced. There was no flow. Nothing seemed right. I wasn’t looking for anything to come easy; I merely wanted what felt familiar and natural.

If you’ve seen my recent tweets and Instagram photos, you’ll know that we just returned from our first vacation in years, traveling to the opposite side of the globe. It was a trek back home to the Philippines for me, followed by a first for our small family: a tour of Thailand. I packed my camera equipment with a mixture of excitement and detachment. I knew there would be great photo opportunities all over Asia. What I didn’t know was whether or not I would find the desire to capture them.

Thailand was a complete immersion in an astonishing world so different from my life now. Everything was new: the smells, the sounds, the merchandise, the flavors, the landscape, the people. We explored palaces, street markets, sailed (okay, more like motored on a boat) to a spot on the Mekong River where you can see Myanmar to the left, Laos to the right, and Thailand behind you. We drove down highways flanked by rice fields, the lushest hue of green I’d ever seen. We watched school children play soccer with towering ruins from the 13th century as their silent audience, and heard temple bells ringing outside our hotel room, followed by a wave of saffron robes finding their way across courtyards, monks barefoot and holding bowls to receive their food for the day from the people of the city.

I fell in love with Thailand. With the light in that beautiful land. With its people, especially the children. And my camera loved it so much I have scars on my right hand because my skin began reacting to the small amount of latex in the camera grip. I didn’t care; I just kept shooting.

 

 
When I first spoke of the battle to re-kindle my desire for photography after having lost my entire collection of photos, it was photographer Stephen Scott Gross who cautioned me not to embark on a mission to rebuild my lost portfolio. He warned me against pre-judging every new shot, comparing it with an old one I had lost, gauging its worthiness as a replacement. I still remember what he told me: that when expectation enters the picture, it changes the dynamic. And it’s true. Expectation comes with limits and demands, often arbitrary and unkind. Expectation opens you up to disappointment because, ultimately, it’s a pass-fail course. But hope—hope always looks forward. When something hoped for doesn’t come to pass, it isn’t a failure; it merely means it didn’t happen at that time. With hope, there is always next time. And another time after that. And hundreds of next times after that. For as long as it takes.

And so it was with Thailand. I left with the hope that I would find something that would make me love photography again the way I used to, but I was ready for the possibility that it wouldn’t happen for me then. I let go of all expectations and merely held on to that hope, and the faith that it would someday come back to me even though I had no clue when that someday would be. It was hope that helped me get past myself. And hope brought me back my love for photography and helped me find my colors again.

 
The Ivory Hut: Of Hope and Expectation, and Finding Color Again

 
 

31 thoughts on “Of Hope and Expectation, and Finding Color Again”

  1. Welcome back friend…in more ways than one!:)

    My instragram feed was better because of your wonderful pics over the last couple of weeks!

  2. So glad you’re blogging again – I’ve missed it! So happy you’re getting your groove back. In time too – with Google Reader closing, I’m in the process of examining which blogs to bring over to whatever new service I will subscribe to. Now I know to bring you over. :)

  3. I just checked your blog the other day thinking my feed burner wasn’t working right and saw you hadn’t posted in quite some time. I am glad you are back! (beautiful photos too!)

  4. Saying “I’m happy for you” doesn’t quite cut it. But I am. Very. You have such a gift with words and pictures … or rather colors! I’m excited for you and can’t wait to see what you share with us all.

    Wonderful!

    1. Thanks, Amy. Love the new avatar! You’re looking prettier and younger. Ya need to share your secret. :)

  5. You are exquisite sweet friend. Sometimes we need a little black and white in our lives (as painful and bleak as it might be) to really *see* the color. Your words and photos resinate with me so. And I am filled with Joy to know that, for you, a new chapter begins. Sending you hundreds of 10 second hugs.

    1. I hope one of these days, I’ll get at least one of those hugs from you in person. We’d better make that happen soon, grasshopper. :)

  6. Sometimes we do have to travel far away to find our home within ourselves again. I’m so glad that you made this trip.

    Thanks for sharing this *homecoming* so beautifully with us. Welcome back :)

    1. Thanks, Paula. One of these days, I’ll write a proper thank you for your support and all you’ve done for me. I’m deeply grateful for that.

  7. Welcome back! I’ve missed hearing from you. What a lovely post and gorgeous photos from Thailand. You’ll have to show us more of your photography! Looking forward to more soon. All the best to you!

  8. I’m so happy to hear that you’re again finding joy in your passions. Keep posting- you’ve been missed!

  9. sitting here reading this and the tears flow – and my heart leaps w/happiness at seeing your images and reading your words again Erika – welcome home!

  10. I’m really enjoying the theme/design of your site. Do you ever run into any internet browser compatibility problems? A few of my blog audience have complained about my website not working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Opera. Do you have any tips to help fix this problem?

  11. I’ve missed your posts and photos as well. I sighed and am still smiling over that last image. What a precious little boy amidst all the colors. Praying peace and continued joy as you re-discover your love for photography.

  12. I discovered your site via another, but hadn’t looked in a long time. I am so glad I remembered this evening–your pictures are wonderful.

  13. Thank you for sharing a great experience and fantastic images.

    I found your post because I, like you had, have lost my passion for photography or anything else. It feel forced…you give me hope that my passion can be rekindled!

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