The Picture of Innocence

It still amazes me that two people can create something so small and beautiful – a child. Everything about them, from their fingers to their toes to their cute button nose, is tiny. At first they can barely open their eyes, but once they do they seem to look at the world in wonder.

When I finally had the chance to hold my cousin’s baby, I was struck by how he seemed to look at the world around him. His gorgeous blue eyes were open wide, taking in everything. As I held him, watched him, I couldn’t help but smile. (It’s hard not to when you’re holding something so precious.) When he looked at me, eyes still bright with curiosity, it was my turn to fully take in his little face. And when he finally fell asleep in my arms (on more then one occasion) there was a sense of trust.

It wasn’t only while he slept, but also while I bounced him on my hip and swayed back and forth and watched the way he looked at me that I realized what I had always subconsciously believed – not only are babies depended on their parents and those around them, but they’re also completely innocent. They know no good or evil. They don’t understand right from wrong. They haven’t had to make any life decisions or choices in general. They know nothing of the world. For a short time they live in their own world and with that comes the beautiful innocence of a child.

I know it’s natural to grow up, become an adult. We live our lives based on what we believe and the choices we make. And those choices, those experiences, shape us.

But what if we clung to a small part of that childhood innocence?

If we could, at times, still see the world through the eyes of a child – what would that be like? Maybe we wouldn’t be so fast to judge. Maybe we would realize it’s okay to need the help of others? Maybe we would laugh more, smile more. Maybe, just maybe, we would not only realize, but see all the wonders the world is constantly offering us.

A Visit to The George Eastman House

For someone who likes photography and old cameras, visiting the George Eastman House is a welcomed opportunity. It’s not only the house that George Eastman (the maker of Kodak) built and lived in during his lifetime, but also a gallery and museum surrounded by many beautiful gardens.

From the outside the stone walls of the house appear gorgeous. The house itself is a work of art. At the front of the house there’s a patio, or sitting area, with two chairs. The door leads into a large foyer with a grand staircase straight ahead.

Inside the house it appears as if time has stood still. Some of the paintings, and I believe fixtures, are exact replicas, but everything is still as it would’ve been if Eastman himself was still living. From the crystal chandlers to the dishes to the bedrooms to the clothing hanging in the closet and the bathroom products sitting in the medicine cabinet, a tour through the house feels like stepping into the past.

The gardens on the property are full of flowers as well as lush, green grass and bushes. Some have stone, or slate, paths while others have paths laid in brick. One garden had lattice with grape vines growing. Another had a small pond in the center with fish and lily pads.

At the back of the house sits the gallery which is currently showing the work of Eugene Richards. It’s titled: Eugene Richards: The Run-On Time. His work explores large, complex social topics. While the photos are engaging, some may be difficult and uncomfortable to look at. Still, this exhibition is worth seeing.

Besides the gallery, the museum is also the home of many old cameras. They’re all gathered in one room and placed in multiply glass cases. They range from wooden cameras with wet plates to the camera of the 90s and, I believe, early digital. Along with the cameras are pictures lining the walls. In the same room are color and black and white photographs by famous photographers.

Whether it’s photography, cameras, a beautiful garden to walk through or even a little bit of history, I believe there’s something for everyone here.

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