Wow... I can't believe I've made it to 299 posts on this blog! I remember being out of the country four or so years ago, thinking that I needed an outlet to share the bits and pieces of life which I'm so lucky to capture from time to time; never did I think that I would persevere with actually sharing so much "stuff".

I've found in the last few months that happiness is paramount and if you cannot find your happiness within whatever it is you're doing, you're wasting time. Things which cause our hearts to smile should outweigh the things which cause us to sit in dark places and say, "What in the hell am I doing..." My dark place is often home and I'm often wondering if I've missed the boat to said happiness, though I can control the voyage per se.

This isn't a post about some weird sadness which has slowly crept in and taken hold of my heart, mind, and soul, this is a post about taking a swing at the unknown with hopes of something wonderful bursting from the belly of the beast (see how I've set the picture up).

Yesterday, we were all kids who were fixated on a better tomorrow, a tomorrow of adventure, a tomorrow of games and laughter, however, both yesterday and tomorrow seem to have faded a bit and now as adults we're left wondering not about tomorrow but instead about yesterday.

I promised myself yesterday, that I wouldn't feel like this today, I promised myself that the cloud of self-doubt, loneliness, and apprehension would dissipate once the sun met my skin through my bedroom window.

It's funny how quickly 299 posts have come and yet I still do not feel accomplished, though I know there have been stories which have touched the hearts and minds of some who have shared their appreciation for my continued quest to find a silver lining within all of this life stuff.

Perhaps the feeling of accomplishment should be found in the fact words can make people smile from time to time. I've become so private with my life, I used to tell certain friends everything. Now I don't say much of anything to anyone and if I'm asked, I'm always fine. What words can I use in order to find my smile... I'll start with "Hello..."

In the course of the last four to five years, I've taken over 10,000 pictures, visited seven or eight different countries, but always returned home. They say home is where the heart is, so I've found myself pouring out my heart to you, from my home, my dark place which bears so much light (I just smiled thinking about this, juxtaposition is tricky indeed). All of my pictures are taken outside of these walls yet I venture back home in order to share my heart.

The picture below was taken at a birthday party a couple of weeks ago, now. The focus this young pup has is a focus which I hope he never loses, his eyes were on the prize and from that there's a lesson to be learned.

It's okay to take a swing at something you want, you'll be surprised what will come pouring out if you give it your all. Do not waste time, enjoy the moments, make memories with people worthy of making said memories with, laugh, cry, sing, dance, but most of all find your happiness.

299 posts came quickly, I hope I'm granted more time and moments of reflection. Thank you for reading, for making it this far.