Sometimes you meet someone who simply has a spirit that shines.  This week we had the opportunity to have Shannon MacMillan, the soccer player, speak to our class about the importance of following your dreams.  This talented and humble woman shared her story of hard work and dedication, of following her passions, and of the importance of a mentor to urge you forward.  We’re lucky, Shannon lives in the community where I teach and has a son that attends our school…so she was happy to share some time with us.  And we’re also lucky to have a successful and talented player remind us that being part of a team means helping each other, that being kind is more important that being good at your sport, and that passions don’t always have to be about sports.  She brought her Olympic and World Cup medals and let all of our students hold them and run their fingers over them.  She explained she had originally placed her gold medal in a safe deposit box–where it was safe, but not doing anything.  Thanks Shannon–your spirit, your message, and your medal all shine!

We got to watch the spirit of our third graders shine as we scaled the walls of a local climbing gym.  We invite our outgoing class of third graders each year to go rock climbing and to dinner as a rite of passage in our class.  It’s fun to watch them gain confidence (like they have over the course of three years with us) as they navigate the walls and learn from each other. There’s something symbolic about finding the footholds, navigating new pathways, and cheering each other on.  And it’s lots of fun!

And I find myself searching for the shine of the sun on these gloomy June days.  After the last day of school on Friday as I headed home I noticed the sun breaking through, bathing the afternoon in its warm glow.  This seemed like the perfect beginning to summer…

Although I still have work ahead this summer–work I love…my heart was shining as I boarded a plane this morning to visit my grandsons.  And just to make things interesting, I decided to take BART rather than rent a car. It was fun to navigate the system…and frustrating to have to wait for the trains when my arms were aching to cuddle those little boys.  The journey was worth it…and I am happily writing this as those little guys sleep nearby.

So…what is shining in your life this week?  What makes your heart sing, heals your soul, or brightens your day?

You can post your photo alone or along with some words: commentary, a story, a poem…maybe even a song! I love to study the photographs that others’ take and think about how I can use a technique, an angle, or their inspiration to try something new in my own photography. (I love a great mentor text…or mentor photo, in this case!) I share my photography and writing on social media. You can find me on Instagram and Twitter using @kd0602. If you share your photos and writing on social media too, please let me know so I can follow and see what you are doing. To help our Weekly Photo community find each other, use the hashtag #shine for this week and include @nwpianthology in your post.

Capture some shine in a photo (or two or three…) and share your shine with the rest of us!  What will shine look like through your lens?