How I Fell In Love

I know you may be expecting a gushy, heart-stopping, romantic story… but in this case, it’s safe to put the tissues down. This particular love story is about a girl and her camera.

As a child, I was convinced that everyone experienced the world the same way I did... through blurred eyes. Straining to see the board in class and struggling to comprehend the lessons, I would still contend that I could see as greatly as a hawk. Boy, was I wrong. Seemingly simple activities were challenging for me, watching TV was more struggle than relaxing. It wasn’t until second grade that I discovered my terrible eyesight, and even then, I would refuse to wear my glasses out of childish stubbornness. I was content to live in my blur. That is until I found photography.

Through my camera, I could see a whole new world full of details and intricate patterns. I would snap pictures left and right until I ran out of storage. My photography garnered enthusiastic praise: “Your images are so different," "You have an amazing eye," and "How do you see these things?" That was when I realized that rather than taking my unique vision away from me, my camera was clarifying it. I could see perfectly through my lens.

I still do not see the world in the same way others do and I am proud of my young stubborn self, refusing to wear glasses, because it led me to pick up a camera. Being true to oneself can often have amazingly wonderful consequences.