Nearly two-hundred years ago the German chemist Justus von Liebig slapped a thin coat of silver to one side of clear glass and Bingo!  The mirror!  He probably learned a thing or two from Euclid (300 BC) who dallied with the idea of reflection.  But nobody – NO-BODY has revealed more details than the twenty-first century videographer who follows you around day and night.

I did it to myself.  I hired a  kind of a self-imposed paparazzi. But how else could we document the world adventure my family and I had ‘bitten off’?   “I want real life – authentic experiences – authentic memories – the good, bad and ugly” I told him.  Real life performances don’t include ‘hair and makeup’, or filters or wardrobe adjustments.

We had lost one of our own.  Hovering over the children ‘left behind’ does not establish ownership, and almost always pushes them to perform.   We wanted ‘real time’ with our kids – time to watch them grow, to share with them the experience of discovering the world God had given them.

Real life is not buttoned-down, starched, stain-proofed and Photoshop-ed.

You may think you know your strengths and weaknesses until you see them played back on video:  and there I was – in all my impatience, trying to control everything and everyone, getting ‘freaked out’ far too often, wishing I could find a door to my own room to slam.   What a wake-up call.

When you’re put in a difficult situation you can either react or respond, I reacted by trying to duck the camera until I realized I should respond and adjust my behavior.  My family knows my weaknesses and my strengths. And I know theirs.  Forgiveness is the first step to recovery and a cornerstone of love.

Consider a 24/7 trip with your family. If you have the guts, hire a videographer to cover it.  Costs less than a Shrink. And the results are just as effective!

Talk soon!

Dawn