The Happiness Project and Photography

So a friend of mine said she was reading The Happiness Project  by Gretchen Rubin.

I saw it at the library and decided to check it out.  Yup, because I'm an 'old-school-check-the-book-out-from-the-library' kinda girl.

The book flap says this about the book:
"With humor and insight, she chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier."

Now, I haven't read the entire thing yet but I happened to flip to a section entitled:  "Indulge in a modest splurge."

As queen of the modest splurges, I had to keep reading.  I'm a shopaholic - restrained and nowhere near worthy of being on Oprah, but nonetheless - a shopaholic.

What I loved was she was not necessarily spending money on "stuff" to make her happier.  For example, she mentioned that she spent money to bring her more happiness in her relationships by giving a party for her sister's wedding.  Her relationship with her sister and her new fiance were really important to her so she wanted to spend some money to bring happiness by celebrating their love.

I kept reading and found this paragraph that really and truly tapped into my sentiments on photography:

"For happy memories:  I also bought those file boxes in April--an excellent modest splurge.  Also, I've never forgotten an older friend's observation: 'One of my regrets about my children's childhoods is that I didn't have more professional photographs taken.'  As luck would have it, I know a terrific photographer.  I arranged to have pictures taken of our children, and I was thrilled with the results.  These photographs were far better than any snapshot I could take, and I bought several for us and for the grandparents, too.  Remembering happy times gives a big boost to happiness, and looking at photographs of happy times helps make those memories more vivid.  The money I spent on the photographs will strengthen family bonds, enhance happy memories, and capture fleeing moments of childhood.  That's a pretty good return on the happiness investment."

I could not have put it better myself.

When you are in business, you will hear at some point from someone who thinks you charge too much.  Whatever your price.

If you see the portrait images of your family and your memories as someTHING - like a chair or a TV - then it can come down to price.

If you see your images as an INVESTMENT in remembering your children lovin' your family and their childhood, then price takes a back seat to art.  Art invokes an emotion.  Art invokes a feeling.  Art invokes memories which do not die with time, but are preserved forever.

I loved her wording there at the end - "the happiness investment."

Like I said, I could not have put it better myself.