Sweet Oklahoma

I believe that it is easy to resent things, places, and people once you have been broken hearted. You start to think of where you would like to eat and instantly say, “oh no, I can’t go there, that was ‘our’ place.” I have tried my hardest to love these little things, places, and people whole heartedly. I have taken my time to relive these things by myself and remember not only why I loved them with others but also why I love them for myself. I am learning to be selfish, which is actually pretty hard because I love to love on others but hardly myself. I have learned to be a little more selfish with my time when it comes to photography. I have officially taken off every Saturday so that I can do something for photography, whether that be dedicating a Saturday to shooting or editing or even just sitting down and writing up contracts and doing all the nitty gritty details.

Recently, I went to Oklahoma for a photography job that sadly got canceled pretty last minute but I still took the time for another photography job along with living out new memories with my best friend. I started my trip in Tulsa, where I fell completely in love with the people and the city itself a little over four years ago. This place holds so much love in my heart and being there was a whirl wind of emotions. The first time I ever made my way up there, I went to the Tulsa garden center and the Philbrook museum area, which I highly recommend to anyone. My favorite thing to do there is to lay under the trees and just listen to how quiet it gets in the midst of children playing, couples laughing and talking, and families taking photographs every 20 feet around you. This is exactly what I did. And I took a ton of photos. I can’t even help myself when I am at this park.

We made our way around Peoria street and Cherry street for coffee, shopping, and people watching. Shey did not believe the trees were real because fall does not exist in Houston but is so wonderful in Oklahoma, so we both have so many photos of just trees and leaves.

We eventually said goodbye to Tulsa (which was nearly impossible for myself to convince myself to leave) and traveled down to OKC for the Thunder game (which they won, because they always do when I am there...duh) and then out to bowling and hanging out at Fassler Hall, which I captured only photos on my phone..oops.

The next morning was all about recovery and relaxation. Eventually, my sister and bestie and I all got around and made our way to shop at the local shops, a paper store and two cute clothing/knick knack shops where we probably all spent too much money. We roamed around the local area and took my sisters graduate photos for her announcements which was eventful and fun of course, as everything is with my family. We spent the evening driving around Bricktown and saw that the scissor tale was lit up with the Paris flag colors and then drove around Edmond laughing at the ridiculous amount of statues that town has. We ended our night with pizza and friends and just being around each other.

Change has been so hard for me lately, and I have gone through a lot of it within the last few months. Between graduating college which is mind blowing still, losing someone who means the entire world to me along with basically my other family, and having to figure out who I am without someone who has been in my life for so long. I am realizing that the bible truly helps the heart and soul and calms my anxious heart more than anything else. I have learned that I just want to travel and run away from my problems half the time, which I do not see as a bad problem...but whatever. Photography has helped me, too. I think I have actually gotten better at editing and focusing on it with all of the change because it is the only consistent thing in my life right now.

I think that if you have ever felt the kind of hurt I am feeling, you should relive places and things with those you still have around. Of course, make new memories, too. But learning to not resent things but to grow and love them more gives a different and sort of relieving feeling. I am not sure what I am meant to do or how I am supposed to feel, I am actually very much lost. I am not sure what to focus my time and heart on. There is so much of me that wants to run back to what I know, and I just can’t. The feeling of having something just disappear is insane. You want to feel hate and anger, but you can’t or you will hurt worse. Life is hard sometimes, and that’s ok. It’s ok.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

...anywho, I hope you enjoy the photos I have edited so far from this trip.