Moments in black and white

I have a friend who committed to a simple but beautiful challenge: capturing one moment every day for an entire year. A 365-day photo challenge. Nothing staged. Nothing extravagant. Just ordinary moments in black and white that somehow felt extraordinary because she chose to see them.

Her photos invited you into her life and her gratitude. Her young daughter with a stepstool pulled up to the island, helping to cook dinner. Her middle child sprawled on the kitchen floor beside his little sister, surrounded by toys and laughter. Three children gathered around the table doing homework. A snapshot of dad with his two boys draped across him, all laughing together at something on his phone.

Simple moments. Holy moments.

In our office, we begin every meeting after prayer with a gratitude round-up, often reminding ourselves: “The more you practice the art of thankfulness, the more you have to be thankful for.”

I think that’s exactly what my friend was doing. She was training herself to notice. To pause long enough to recognize that joy often hides in the ordinary. Gratitude became less of a reaction and more of a way of seeing.

As summer approaches, maybe that’s an invitation for all of us, whether we’re traveling far away or simply enjoying a staycation close to home. Be intentional with gratitude. Capture the moments you might otherwise rush past. The messy kitchen. The late sunsets. The family dinner. The laughter from another room. The quiet cup of coffee before everyone wakes up.

Not every meaningful memory comes from a grand adventure. Sometimes the moments that shape us most are the ones that happen every day, if only we choose to notice them.

This summer, may we practice thankfulness enough to recognize just how much we’ve already been given.