Peer Reflections

Nurturing Wellness through Creativity and Compassion
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Tag: photography

  • Frozen in Sadness

    This statue struck me; the heaviness in its posture, the child frozen in sorrow. It reminded me of grief.

    Grief can feel like that: still, silent, and impossibly heavy. A child weighed down by the heartbreak of the world.

    There is so much hurt happening around us, and grief is a universal emotion. But please—don’t become like this statue. Don’t let pain freeze you in time.

    Feel the sadness. Let yourself mourn. But it is also important to take moments to feel the sun on your skin, the breeze in your hair, the rain on your face. Seek out the beauty that still exists, even in the midst of loss.

    Healing doesn’t mean forgetting. It means continuing, step by gentle step. Please don’t cancel it out or rush through the hurt. Learn to walk, softly and slowly, alongside the grief and sorrow.

  • Delicate Remains

    Photo by Shannon

    There’s something about this image that keeps calling me back. The tender buds reaching toward sunlight. The bold hint of pink just beginning to emerge. But what draws me in most is the quiet presence of what once was — the delicate remains of a bloom that’s already had its moment.

    It reminds me that sometimes, growth asks us to shed old patterns, to release what we’ve outgrown — even if it once brought beauty. The letting go isn’t failure. It’s part of the becoming.

    Just like this plant, we grow by honoring our past and making space for what’s unfolding. Through sunshine and rain, bloom and decay, there is always more ahead. And even when we don’t feel in full bloom… we are still growing.

  • Through the Lens: Sadness

    Photo by Shannon

    Stillness Above The Surface

    Sadness can feel empty and hollow. We may struggle with feeling lifeless—just floating along—or find ourselves wanting to hunker down because the world might not understand the depth of our sorrow. This image reflects that sensation: black and white, gloomy, even eerie.

    But sadness is more than what we see on the surface. Not many people can understand your sadness in the way that you do. Because underneath this floating, lifeless branch, fish are taking shelter among the twisted wood. Life is still moving—just differently.

    The sadness we feel in the face of loss is equal to the care, passion, and love we had for the person or situation that has ended. As heavy as sadness can be, it is also a beautiful privilege to grieve so deeply.

  • One Thing At A Time

    Photo by Shannon

    The winter storm stirs up wonders. Through snow and wind, bending and blowing, the very things that should be buried beneath layers of ice and frozen to the earth resurface. A perfect white canvas, now speckled with autumn’s remnants.

    Sometimes, healing feels like this. A storm blows through, uncovering things we thought we had buried. Triggers, past traumas—showing up at the most inopportune times. But instead of fighting it, I take notice. I don’t chastise the leaf for landing on fresh snow. I don’t demand that it disappear. Instead, I wonder—how did the wind carry it here? I notice the edges, the color-worn but not damaged.

    We can make matters worse by denying what surfaces. We can freeze our hands trying to dig through the snow, desperate to put things back where they belong. Or we can simply notice. Be curious. Trust that, just like the leaf, these things will find their way—no matter how much they contrast against the untouched snow.

  • Violet Veil

    Photo by Shannon

    Art has always been my sanctuary, my solace, and my voice when words fail to capture the complexity of my emotions.

    “Violet Veil” emerged from a moment of profound reflection. The interplay of vibrant purples and reds in this image reflects the layers of emotion I was experiencing: the deep shadows of pain interwoven with the soft light of hope. The flowers, delicate yet resilient, seem to push through the veil, symbolizing growth and transformation even in the midst of struggle.

    Through this piece, I was reminded that beauty can exist alongside sorrow, and that healing often involves embracing the contrasts—the vivid and the muted, the joy and the ache. Violet Veil invites the viewer to look closer, to pause and notice the intricate details that often go unseen, much like the small but significant moments of healing in our own journeys. Art allows us to find clarity where there was once only chaos, and Violet Veil serves as a testament to the power of seeing through the layers—both in the image and within ourselves.

  • Through The Lens: Ice & Emotions

    Photo by Shannon

    Through the Lens: Ice and Emotions

    The ice on Lake Superior can do some pretty impressive things. Waves push shards onto the shore, shifting and moving them miles down the coast in a matter of days—or even hours. The ice on Lake Superior is both unstable and magnificent at the same time.

    With camera in hand and ice cleats attached, I take a calculated risk to capture the shards that fascinate me. The details, the shapes, the color—I am drawn in, mesmerized by their raw beauty. As I stand there, I reflect on the way emotions are similar to these ice shards…

    Emotions can feel sharp. They can feel cold, catching you off guard. They shift, they spike, they fall, they freeze—emotions are notorious for being unpredictable.

    We can put all our energy into controlling or suppressing them, trying to force them into a box. Or we can choose to observe them as they shift.

    As emotions rise and fall, I remind myself that managing them is a lot like observing the ice on Superior. I am both fearful of the fragile space they claim and in awe of their beauty and arrangement.

  • Finding Calm Within

    Photo by Shannon

    Through the Lens: Finding Calm Within
    Amidst the noise and rush of life, this lotus bloom reminds me of the calm that exists within us all. Rising gently from still waters, it holds space for reflection—quietly inviting us to do the same.

    Gratitude works like this too. It creates moments to pause, to notice the beauty and strength that might otherwise go unseen. When we take a moment to reflect, we find space to breathe and reconnect with what truly matters.

    Today, I’m grateful for this reminder to embrace the stillness within and to see the light even in life’s murky waters. What moment of calm are you grateful for today?

  • Winter’s Whispers

    While out in the frozen tundra, I captured this scene over Lake Superior, overtaken by sea smoke. The entire area was shrouded in an eerie whiteout, with visibility severely limited—a hauntingly quiet and surreal landscape. At -20 degrees, the only sounds were the crunch of snow beneath my feet and the shifting ice on the lake.

    Amid this frozen stillness, I stumbled upon this hill formation with trees and rocks encased in layers of ice. What struck me most was the blue hue of the ice—a color that only forms when ice becomes dense over time. It made me think about endurance. These rocks and trees, coated in ice through countless storms and harsh conditions, became more beautiful as the ice thickened and deepened its color.

    It’s a reminder of how challenges, while difficult, can shape something resilient and stunning over time.

    What I love most about this image is the way the ice has taken on a blue hue, a natural phenomenon that adds an almost ethereal quality to the scene. Despite the torturous cold and slippery terrain, I’m grateful I ventured out that day. This capture, with its quiet strength and ethereal quality, has become one of my favorite winter images from the frozen northland.

  • Curious Discoveries

    Photo by Shannon

    This week’s Through the Lens piece captures a moment that intrigued me. I noticed several butterflies fluttering around and then landing on dirt. It piqued my curiosity because I had always thought butterflies get their nutrients solely from the nectar of flowers. After capturing several images, I continued to watch them for a while.

    It reminded me that nourishment can come from unexpected places. These creatures, usually associated with flowers, found sustenance in something I learned about called puddling—where butterflies absorb minerals from mud or dirt. It shows us that sustenance doesn’t have to come from the “pretty” places we expect.

    This moment reminded me how noticing can reveal the hidden potential in every moment. No matter where nutrients come from—whether from the beauty of flowers or the simplicity of dirt—they can all be transformed into something magnificent. To illustrate this, I edited the butterflies to have purple, galaxy wings, symbolizing how even the most unexpected sources of nourishment can lead to something beautiful and transformative.

    Reflection: What unexpected sources of nourishment or growth have you discovered in your own life?