In My Shoes – State Fair Bound

“Fear has two meanings; ‘Forget Everything and Run’ or ‘Face Everything and Rise.’ The choice is yours.” Zig Ziglar

On Saturday, June 16th of this year, wearing my favorite shoes (see previous post) I took a step towards my fears. I entered four photos into the Iowa State Fair Salon. Standing in line, white knuckles hesitating to hand over the work that represented hundreds of miles of gravel roads and hours of preparing not just the photographs but also myself, I was just excited to be facing my fear of simply entering. Seeing the stacks of pictures already dropped off by hopeful artists, I couldn’t help but feel a little overwhelmed. I appreciated the simplicity of the process at that moment. Already past the first check point, there was no turning back. I handed over the four prints, paid my fee and walked out congratulating myself on doing what I had set out to do.

To some, it may seem like no big thing, entering photos in a local photography contest. Big deal. Yes, for someone who often finds themselves paralyzed by her own fears, it really is a big deal. For someone who struggled for years to even share my photos with family and friends for fear of being laughed at, it’s a big deal. For me, it’s not just about the contest, it’s a step forward towards a dream I’ve had for years. It’s a chance to really put myself out there and win or lose, learn from the experience. And maybe even more important, right now, in this moment, as I sit here looking at the postcard that just arrived in the mail, telling me that one of my “photos has been accepted for display”, it’s a big deal to just be excited. To be proud of the work I’ve done and allow myself to celebrate a goal achieved. Every journey begins with a single step, right?