Come Together...
By Emma Duncan, E.K. Duncan Arts
This week has ushered in a crisp autumn breeze, and with it the excitement of the holidays quickly rolling in. Whether it’s the Hogwarts or the Polar Express rolling into your station…one thing is clear: we’re speeding down the track on our way to holiday magic.
A time to slow down (or if you’re a mother… speed up) and revel in memory-making with your loved ones.
If you have some little ones in your life you might share the surreal, bitter sweet kind of shock of seeing them change immensely in just a year! My little girl just turned 1, and Jessica’s oldest just turned 6. This month we spoke about that familiar-yet-bizarre feeling of watching your babies grow into opinionated, funny, interesting, thoughtful, (and sometimes sassy) little people.
Just a few days ago, my little one took more steps in a row than I’ve ever seen her take! And it’s just a snowball from there, with running and talking and so on.
I’m swiveling around her like a camera hanging on a dolly making sure I capture every tiny moment and action shot (I slow down to appreciate the moment as well sometimes…). The whole process is something I’m sure I’ll never forget.
Documentation is a practice that I think is unique to human beings. Since the days in the caves we’ve been trying to prove that our stories matter through imagery. Some might say that family portraits cannot compare to cave paintings - in which case I’d say you’d be right - you can’t see all of the individual memories splayed out before you in the same way.
But, here’s what I’m getting at: when I see a pictures of my daughter now, I remember how fresh and new she was just last fall; how she snugged so perfectly into the crook of my arm, the time she had thrush and I drove to the ER in the middle of the night, the first time she said “Mama,” learning her first sign language signs, and her first tiny Christmas pajamas…
Even before my own daughter, I had children in my life that I was constantly in awe of. Watching their incredible abilities, going from tripping over soccer balls to maneuvering so swiftly and expertly that it practically makes my head spin.
And we can’t leave out ourselves! At times we make monumental changes that happen inwardly more than anything - we have small wins that no one sees and we start making new choices and breaking old habits and patterns. Those deserve proper documentation and celebration as well.
When we prioritize bringing our most loved humans together to create memories, it gives us the opportunity to view each one of these little moments, and to be proud of ourselves for making it through another year of lessons, challenges and achievements.
Each holiday stands as a yearly marker that we all change, constantly and irreversibly making the documentation (in my mind) well worth it. We are all temporal beings, but the memories we make are what we take with us.
Reminders of who we are and where we’ve been is important, and ways to express ourselves by adding a little magic I think gives us the opportunity to play. Inviting more play into your life and different ways to express yourself this holiday season might be exactly what you need.
J Vod Creative is offering holiday mini’s this season that can make all of this possible.
So make a hot coco, grab your ugliest sweater or your holiday best and don’t forget to smile!
The Holiday Express Mini’s are some of our cutest and sweetest ways to revel in your holiday spirit and to remember all you’ve done this year.
We are so excited to see you in the studio with those you love! Strap in and get ready to ring in the holidays with us starting the second week of November.
We can’t wait to help you and your family experience holiday magic in whatever way we can!
Wishing you warmth this holiday season from us here at JVod Creative!
-Emma & Jessica
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