Running Chatter: The Merging Of Two Worlds

(SummerK Photography was born unexpectedly out of a personal blog.  Today, I am merging these two worlds, because in my heart, they existed as one. Below is the last post from my old space  as I make a new home here among all the other stories I am so honored to be able to tell.)

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Running Chatter turned six on Saturday.  Such a small thing, I know.  A blog birthday, no need for hype.  Still, I recognize the day because, in a way, Running Chatter’s beginning was also a beginning for me. The beginning of a journey of discovery.  Figuring out who I was, or, more importantly, who I wanted to be.  I remember the way my hands shook as I wrote my first post.  Insecurity fought hard against the part of me that wanted to be brave.  Timidity waged war on the part of me that wanted to be strong.  I’m not sure how bravery beat the jitters that day, but I’m so thankful that the wallflower part of me began to stretch that day.

Six years of writing.  Seven-hundred and ten posts.  My life, my grief, our family and the many changes in between have been documented in this space, because telling our story, however mundane it might be, has always been important to me. This space opened up doors for me that I’m certain would have otherwise never been discovered.  This space brought new people into my life, with whom I’m certain I would have never crossed paths.  This space opened my eyes to my own unearthed passions and changed the direction of my life.

I feel a loyalty to this space.  To Running Chatter.  To those who have cheered me along as I ventured out of myself and into the world.  I feel a loyalty to my beginning.

Still, no matter how much I resist it. No matter how much I want to keep things the same.  No matter how much I hold on to what was, life is always moving forward, changing, transitioning.

I remember the first time I visited home during my Freshman year of college.  After almost two months away I visited home, only to find that everything felt so different.  I remember being surprised at how white everything was in my parents home.  I remember how soft the carpet felt under my feet. Such a stark contrast to the flickering florescent lights and dirty throw rug in my college dorm.   I remember showing up to my high school’s football game and seeing familiar people, but was unable to remember if they were from my former high school life or my current college life.  How was it after such a short time away I felt so out of place?  I remember feeling like I was straddling two worlds and not feeling like anywhere was “home”.

It took a few years, but over time I came to a different understanding of home.  I came to understand that “home” was not necessarily a specific place or structure, but home was the place where I planted myself.  Home was the feelings I got from those who surrounded me.  Home wasn’t necessarily out there, it was a feeling within.

Over the last year, while in this space, I’ve experienced similar feelings to those of my Freshman year of college.   I’ve felt straddled between two worlds–my {personal} Running Chatter world and my {professional} SummerK Photography world.  I held strongly to the idea that my professional and personal worlds should exist in two different camps.  SummerK should remain business-like, while Running Chatter was more honest, raw.

In truth, SummerK and Running Chatter are the same.  Running Chatter is SummerK and SummerK is Running Chatter.  I’m telling my story, I’m telling yours. As much as business experts might urge me to keep these parts separate, I think, at least for me, the two worlds belong together.

You see, Running Chatter grew out of a passion to remember.  It grew out of the painful reality of loss and a desire to record our story today so that we can remember for all of our tomorrows. The marriage of words and images changed me and birthed an opportunity to record moments for other families. Without Running Chatter there would be no SummerK.  More specifically, without the love, support, and encouragement that I found as I journeyed through Running Chatter I would have never discovered the passions that were buried down deep.

From the deepest parts of me, I want to express my gratitude for each and every person who has ever stopped by this space.  For each person who, over the last six years, has been so encouraging and supportive of the journey of our family.  The return on Running Chatter has been far more than I could have imagined. I am better because of this space. . . our family is better because of this space.

Still, straddling two worlds and trying to follow the rules of keeping the business and personal life separate seems silly.  Rule follower that I am, it feels time to break the rules.  When others allow me the honor to step into their lives to capture their love and their commitment , it only seems appropriate that I do the same.  So, while I have no plans to stop my Chatter, it will find a new home. Tucked between new marriages, new babies, and families doing life together, I will continue to tell our story.

The silly, the mundane, and the processing on life that I’ve done for the past six years will not change, only the location will change.  I hope you will join me there, at my new home, on the SummerK Blog as I merge two worlds that were never really separate anyway.We’ve got a lot of living left to do and my Chatter certainly isn’t done yet.

Thank you for sticking with six years of my Chatter. . . here’s to many more. . .

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Because I can’t completely give up my Running Chatter name I’ll still be on instagram.