It's been a busy month.
Somehow, I managed to log eight thousand miles in a little less than a month, traveling from Portland to Joshua Tree, Scottsdale, Santa Fe, Topeka, Missouri, Little Rock, back to Joshua Tree, Missoula and back to Portland.
I met some truly great and generous people along the way.
I also picked up a traveling companion named Remmy (short for Remington… because she always has shotgun). She's a 4-month old rescue from the Rescue Ranch in Yreka, CA and she couldn't have done any better in the truck. After a couple minutes of "really, this is what we're doing today" looks, she settles in and let's the vibrations of the truck carry her off to sleep.
In talking with some of the people I've met and interviewed, I found myself telling them, "she's still learning" whenever they asked how she's adjusting to life outside the rescue.
Having thought about it, we're both still learning.
I'm still learning how to be a better writer and photographer and she's still learning how to not shit on the carpet.
I'm still learning how to effectively use my time and money and she's still learning what "no" really means.
If I'm honest, if either one of us stop learning, that'll be the end of us.
The phrase "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" is an excuse. Maybe you just stopped teaching them new tricks and they got bored and apathetic… much like the rest of us who stop trying to learn something new.
If I'm not learning something, if I'm not actively trying to grow through knowledge and experience, then clearly I'm not paying attention.
Whether it's dealing with an editor who's slow to reply to emails, bombing in front of a small crowd, or not getting a shot quite right, there's something I can learn each day as long as I look for something.
Once that stops happening, I'll probably stop what I'm doing and find something else.
Don't stop learning, don't stop growing.
Keep your feet moving