Staying a Student

A new year arrives with possibility.  Not because everything resets, but because we’re still here to notice it.

I feel grateful for the experiences of the past year — for the lessons, the uncertainty, the moments of clarity, and the quiet stretches in between.  Looking back, I’m reminded how much of what mattered most couldn’t have been planned, only experienced.

There’s also gratitude in simply having the privilege to step into another year.  To wake up, to feel the weather change, to watch light move across familiar places.  To keep paying attention.

As I look toward 2026, I don’t feel any pull toward declaring expertise or arrival.  If anything, I feel more committed to staying a student.  Curious.  Open.  Willing to learn, unlearn, and adjust as experience continues to shape how I see the world.

Photography has taught me that the moment you think you’ve mastered something, you stop noticing.  Writing has reinforced the same truth.  Both reward humility.  Both invite presence.  Neither asks for certainty.

That feels like the right posture for a new year.

Not rushing forward.

Not clinging backward.

Just continuing — attentive, receptive, and grateful for the chance to keep learning by doing.