How do we come to appreciate or adore something? Two different people can look at the same thing and see it absolutely differently…How does my photography work? What inspires me to take certain pictures and where are those thoughts and ideas born? Do they come from my heart or within my mind? For an artist, or a photographer, are mind and heart the same substance or is it two different things? Than how can I find out what takes priority – my mind or my heart every time I point my camera and shoot? In my case, it is probably all heart. I am a very emotional person, and even though I can be very logical business person, in my photography I am always listening to my heart. I never think about color, or composition, or any other parameters of pictures that are perfect from technical stand point. I am trying to preserve a moment of beauty, something that inspired me to take a picture and show it to the whole wide world. For example, take a look at the Little Corn Island… Every person, every tourist always passes by the same view, but only few people can really take it in and turn in to a master piece via their art. Local artists, who live their whole life on that little island, see something inspiring in every day scenery and share their gift with the world. So, look around you and think – where does your inspiration come from? In my case, it is definitely from my heart…

Children of the Island…It appears that they are born from Ocean waves and sandy beaches. Anywhere you see them – playing by the water, going to school, riding a bike – they are so happy. Big smiles making their faces glow. Every child on that Island is the happiest…They might not have the highest education, or they might not be as busy as other children, but they are happy and healthy, always smiling, learning from day one that life is beautiful, even if it is not easy. You can see that they will never take for granted a glass of milk and piece of bread in the morning, sunny weather and warmth of the Ocean, they will never disrespect Nature as we do sometimes. Nature is what gave them life and that is what supports that life. Kids can sunbathe all day long, play in the Ocean and it almost seems that the Ocean itself takes care of children by being so calm during the play and not jeopardizing their lives. Children at play…Huge smiles…One look at a child and I really wish I had a childhood like this – full of love, Nature, beauty, and relaxation, full of everything that we miss so much in our day to day lives. Dear children, please stay as innocent as you are, as happy and healthy! And also please, when you grow up, carry a little piece of this magical time called childhood in your hearts.

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua…I imagine something very different, more natural, serene if you wish, something lost in the middle of nowhere…We arrive on the little boat and the very first thing we see – is a Dive Shop that my husband built years ago. Still standing and welcoming everyone to the Island, reminding you that you are in a beautiful place – beautiful within the Island and under the sea. Everyone smiles and very soon you feel like you are at home – the purpose of their life is to see Mr. John come back and here he is. Both of us feel a little humble given such a reception. Island is very alive and busy. I imagined something very different.
I guess local people are finally making the profit from their Island as much as all of the expatriates that build business on this welcoming land. Also, you notice that a lot of locals loose their innocence by striving to be the best. At the same time best trends are still there – locals are naïve, happy, relaxed, ready to assist in any way, joyful and content – some of the things we are missing quite a bit. I think back to my busy life just for a second and realize that I really do not want to go back – right here, right now everything is perfect, I have everything I need, and I found peace within my heart. A little too hot for my liking but soon breeze wraps up my body in cool swathe and life is good!
I can not wait to get to the other side of the Island – underdeveloped, peaceful, natural, calling me to come and explore, to take picture and freeze this beauty for everyone to see.
And what a beauty it is! Calm ocean, palm trees, sand, see grass, and all kinds of washed up treasures complete a picture of paradise. We walk on the beach and it feels almost like time just stopped for us to be able to remember this moment forever. And I slowly start walking, taking in every breath of air, every splash of cool water, every feeling and desire that this place awakes in my heart…
Little Corn Island with such a big heart, such a beauty, such a soul – you know that even if you leave, these moments will be always part of you, they will become that special place in your heart that you can go to relax and bring the best out of you. Little Corn Island…

So, our journey begins…I love to travel but at the same time I miss my home. You do not even realize when the feeling of excitement and experiencing something new turns to completely opposite – I just want to get back home. Human nature is quite unusual – we can not sit still in one place, and mind starts to wonder and we follow our heart - just so we can fill our lives with something exciting, experience as much as possible, change our daily routine. On the other hand, once we are far away we all miss home – that place where you feel safe and peaceful. You come home; your heart fills in with this enormous warmth and affection but then somehow that feeling gets replaced with an absolutely different one: feeling of adventure, pressure from our own four walls, squeezing you under the weight of day-to-day routine…At some point, your mind wonders so far from home that you can not find your way back unless you experience that obsession, excitement, exhilaration and anticipation of discovering something new. You are absorbed by something that is unknown and far away, and the only thing you now for sure – you want to go there and experience it. Your mind or heart can not unwind until you get there and see it for yourself – and at this point you go the opposite way – you just want to go home, and relax once you are there. Human nature is quite a very interesting thing – we wonder in search of something great, something different, and something exciting. And a lot of times, after searching for it for all of our life we realize that we have it all, right here, in our hearts…

It does not look like spring today at all. I was looking forward to sunny spring days, rainbow of colors and breeze that smells like Earth and fresh greenery…Instead it has been raining for the last couple of days…When it is sunny and bright outside, my mood changes – I have energy, ideas, dreams and wishes, and a desire to change the World. When it is raining, I just want to cuddle up with my husband in bed and stay there until Sun is out once again, embraced in my own thoughts and feelings. I love spring…I think even more significantly - I love change of seasons – something new and astonishing, something to look forward to, and something to anticipate. Every season is quite unique, but my all time favorite is Autumn. Maybe because of the miraculous colors, or leaves that fly around like lost dreams; maybe because of all the trees leaving their past behind, getting ready to rest over the winter, and than renew themselves come Spring…Autumn - my favorite season…But nevertheless Spring always brings the best out of me – desire to change my life, start over with some unsettled things, renew myself inside and out. Spring has this power over you – power of life. Life that is blooming all around you. So, even thought rain nourishes my desire to get lost in my inner philosophical world, I think I am ready for some sunny days!

Children and parents…We can not choose our parents, their hobbies, jobs, characters. But our parents choose everything for us. On the other hand, if you really look into this, we do influence our parents choices quite a bit – once we are here in this World, our parents need to adjust their diets, schedules, vacation plans, life changes for them completely…But that is not what I was talking about it though…We are not by any means choosing our parents…Than why, do so many of them blame us for broken lives, divorcing, drinking problems? How do we turn from all the joy in the world at the moment when our parents realize they are going to have a baby to the moment when children are a few years old…What happens with us, our parents, our linked lives? How many couples stay together in misery just because of their children? How many couples divorce because of their differences in their opinion of what they perceive to be appropriate parenting? How many children, parents, grandparents, friends of the family end up in therapy for years trying to find inner piece…Most of the parents want their children, can not wait for them to be born, discuss that subject with their partner on numerous occasions… But than something goes wrong: if we are one of the most beautiful creations of Evolution, than how come we can not adapt to the change of having children in our lives? Why are we so eager to have children and than a lot of us are so eager to get rid of them?
Our parents are trying to ensure that we all grow up with our own sense of individuality, that we grow up to be our true selves…But at the same time, they absolutely freak out when we are “outside of the box” – do not look like everyone else, do not act like everyone else, wear different clothes, have unique hobbies…
As parents, we want to make sure that our child sees all the possibilities. But how many of our parents will argue with each other and act disrespectful of each other – and a lot of times arguments are about jobs, salaries, money, who is worthless – how are we, children, suppose to see or believe in possibilities?
We want our children to be independent thinkers and learn how to make decisions and be responsible for our actions. But how many times do you hear in your life as a child – “ I did this because I can”, “ I am your mother – do as I say”, “ You don’t need to know why – just do it”. So much for independent thinking…
It is quite confusing to be a parent. But at least we are adults and have means to find out what we should do; we can ask for advice; re-think entire situations…As a child a lot of times we do not know how to deal with our confusion…Our parents think that all of our problems are not so important; our friends from “happy families” laugh at us; after a while we just keep to ourselves, grow up bitter and disappointed.
As children – let’s give our parent a chance, let try and talk to them and explain where the problem is. As parents, let’s love our children for who they are – isn’t it what we wanted them to be – individuals with independent thinking? We are almost the same in essence – with a little bit of variation that is determined by difference in time and surroundings, children have a big part of them that is determined by the parents, and parents are influenced quite a bit by their children. And after all we are parents and children, once and for all, we just need to learn how to love each other for who we are and embrace each others differences…