A New Day

As this year draws to end,

So many thoughts enter my mind.

Some days were like a blur as life as we know it,

will never be the same again.

We slowly distance ourselves from normality,

New instruction was given.

Too distance ourselves from each other

We were forced to look deep within.

We finally see what is in front of us,

not behind, just ahead.

Many on there knees, humbled with prayer,

For mercy is what we so desperately need.

To find the why’s and how’s……..

Panic drives us as we cannot see whom we wish, when we wish,

In this time that felt like it was standing still.

Taught us to be grateful for the little things, which ain’t so little,

To appreciate each other and treasure moments shared.

It has forced us to stop, listen and appreciate life.

The fresh air, the howling of the wind and the calmness thereafter.

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

Her Strength – My mother

She astonishes me every day,

Her strength is amazing.

She loves me unconditionally,

With all my faults,

A complicated thing she makes simple.

A smile crosses her face,

Nothing is ever to much or out of pace.

So strong is she

Never shows doubt or fear within.

My best friend, one I can talk about anything,

She will tell me right from wrong in an instant.

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

A new season

The cold evenings have come upon us

The rain falls heavily on to the the window pain beside me.

A new season is here

The dark nights and long days

Proceed without caution.

As we wait it out

For the Spring flowers to blossom

We brave the cold nights and long days.

Thank you for a new season,

Where we can be still and wait patiently.

For the sun to shine again.

In the Garden

The silk lay down flowers bloom,

I can feel the wind in my hair.

I can smell the fragrance in the in the air.

The sun bakes down,

The flowers open without a sound.

I close my eyes,

I smell the scent all around me.

I never struggle to see,

The beauty that surrounds me,

The last thing I want to do is flee.

Written by Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

Darkness & Light

In the darkness she sat,

waited to find a glimpse of light.

The light was there, hiding in the night.

The abyss was endless,

the candle burned brightly down the tunnel relentlessly.

The wind blew ferociously,

through the rampid trees.

The light returned flickering in the distance,

A smile crossed her face.

As relief passed through her tired body.

For once again she could feel the warmth

of life is beautiful, filled with darkness and light.

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

A new day

The journey has been long winding road

but I see the sunshine once again,

I hear the rain drops that trickle in my garden.

Happiness is a daily struggle, yet it is becoming easier.

For the little things in life, which made me smile,

is starting to reappear.

Thank you for being so patiant,

kind and loving during some very dark times.

This is just a brief glimpse,

of me been grateful for all I have.

In time I should be as I once were.

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

SHATTERED

In the deep waters she dwelled,
She was broken, afraid to move.
Her mind was frozen,
The end felt so very near.
Drowning within her own thoughts,
petals falling revealing its thorns.Every day the surroundings frightened her.
Her reflection she failed to recognize,
The light of life struggled to filter through.
They kept showing a glimpse,
Down on her knees she knelt, shackled within chains.
As she struggled to move the chains tightened.

Under the water, gasping frantically for air.
She fought frantically to reach the light, the normality of life.
Her surroundings were dark and she felt so alone.
The day came where she opened her eyes
The colour of life slowly revealed itself once more.
She could finally breathe, freed from captivity within her own mind.
Her son held his hand out to her smiling.

And once again she could breathe.
As the light of life surfaced more vivid than before.

Suffocating

In a moment

In a moment, we breath. talk, listen and wonder,

For each breath is a gift, which we should never take for granted.

Each day is a new page, which is written by our thoughts, actions and reactions.

As the days go by, which turns into weeks and thereafter months,

I have learnt to stop and cherish each moment,

For it will never be the same again.

So many aspects to be grateful for,

I can talk, listen, love and try to dance…

I thank God for a second chance in life,

When I fall, I will get up and walk again,

The lessons of the past may be hard,

They have taught me to take each day as they may come, to breath and to stay strong.

To never allow my faith to waiver…

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

Grateful

Each day is a new day,

So blessed am I to see you, to hear you laugh.

You make me smile from within,

A joke or two which we share.

The years have flown by,

Each one may have not been easy.

I have reached a point of appreciation,

For you have done so much for me,

Which I pray I do the same.

When my road was dark and scary,

I failed to know which way to turn.

You were there and never weary.

Thank you & I love you forever….

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

Simplicity

When you awake each morning, be thankful.

For life has so much to give if you just see,

Refuse to ever flee.

Each flower that opens is such perfection,

How is it possible to not see.

We are so fortunate to breathe,

How could we ever wish to leave.

The simple things in life we must treasure

For those things can never be measured.

When you wake up, smile

We have such beauty around us which stretches for miles.

Love life, for it gives us new lessons each day.

Which helps us grow and learn and evolve into the person we are today.

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

Uncertainty

Well 2021 has arrived yet still so many questions,

When will life ever return as we know it.

That we do not know, all that can be done now is understand,

We need to think of our families and others, more than ever before.

Its a time that has forced us to stay within walls and think outside constantly.

Be kind as we are all in the same boat and trying to get by day by day.

Be generous, brave and try to make a person smile,

Write down your dreams and a list of wishes,

Try to tick the boxes as this will give you a sense of completion.

Work in your garden, so good for the soul.

Most importantly be patient for life still carries on, just differently.

Take the time to appreciate all you have not what you don’t.

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

Near the end of 2020

This has been a year that many would love to forget,

A year filled with uncertainty and panic.

Each day a new challenge arose and felt like a never ending battle.

Our children cannot play freely

Restriction of movement so necessary but overwhelming.

In the midst of all this, a certain humanity prevailed.

We have had time to stop and really look at our lives,

Appreciate ones close to us and be grateful for what we have.

So many aspects of life we take for granted,

walking on the beach, holding hands and a simple hug.

Such important elements of life we never quite realised.

2020 has taught me more than any other, its made me,

see each day as a new day and to truly appreciate life, love and a breath of air.

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

Grateful for loving me

 

I turned my back on you,

I shut you out , no matter how hard you tried.

I closed my eyes,

I shut my ears,

I pushed you out of my space.

You held out your hand,

You pulled me nearer.

You remained warm, even when I turned away.

The walls around me were high,

You always remained to fight…..

 

Branding & Blogging

Saturday / 27 January 2018

I had such an adventure with my friend Ange at her beautiful home in Nooitgedacht Estate, Stellenbosch.  We shared a glass of bubbly and chatted about all the happenings in store for 2018.  This is the year that I step up to the plate, jump over of my shadow and take on all that may daunt me.  We captured some awesome portraits in her village, what a beautiful place.  The wind was howling, but the mood took me to one of my favourite countries, Italy, a place of vibrancy, happiness and dreams.

This is  the year to push my boundaries, to step out of my comfort zone.  The day where you wait for someone to guide you, push you, direct you is over.  It is in our hands to walk the road and jump when needed.  I have already welcomed some terrific people into my life this year thus far that has steered me in the direction to really push myself, to grow as a friend, a photographer, an entrepreneur and most importantly as a person.  Without growth we remain stagnant.

Herewith please find some of my images of the lovely Ange’ Gray

 

Finding your way

I went through school quite aimlessly, never quite sure where I felt at home. I enjoyed writing poetry and always admired the art students, they had a special type of freedom surrounding them, a happiness/eagerness I never saw readily. I started working and that is where my search came to a halt.  I earned a salary, supported myself to the best of my ability and adjusted to the situation.  Approximately five years ago I began my photography journey, one I never, ever dreamt would become one of my greatest passions. People will always do their best to talk you out of it, you know there is not a lot of money in the trade, its only a hobby….

What I am trying to say is one of my greatest lesson’s I have learnt is to truly search within yourself, to find what makes you smile, what makes you want to get up every morning and to do the best you can. Do not compare yourself with others, the only person you should drive is yourself, better yourself, work harder and try to accomplish all that you can within your own realm. A few months ago I began with photo-manipulation which has also become such a challenge for me. You can never learn enough. The growth process does not end and it truly keeps you fixated within the story you want to convey.

That is my biggest wish for my son, to find his passion, hopefully younger than his mom but as they say better late than never.  Never be afraid to try new things, if you do not you will never find what you may have been seeking unknowingly all along.

This journey is far from over, I am ready to open the chapter of this book and allow it to take me on the ride of my life.

 

 

Self exploration

I have to admit, the last 5 years has truly been an incredibly valuable part of my journey,  with many painful and hard lessons.  Many times I wanted to give up, walk away and just never look back.  Looking at it now this is an aspect of self growth beyond my belief and forcing me to jump out of my shadow and tackle things head on.

You sometimes have to bury parts of yourself to step out of your own limitations which you set upon yourself.  A part which may scare you filled with unpredictability, perhaps a darker side of oneself.

My photography journey is teaching me so many lessons on a daily basis.  This has allowed me to explore new avenues without as much fear and it has forced me understand the concept of self acceptance, trusting my intuition and never doubting myself even under extreme circumstances.

As a young girl, I was afraid to explore, afraid of rejection and terrified of failure.  All these hurdles which is becoming my stepping stones today. I am forced to speak up, no matter the situation.   It is such an intricate part of my journey, not an easy one but most certainly an uplifting one.  One that has taught me that things are definitely not simple, everything in life that involves a relentless passion we need to fight for and most importantly to love oneself and not be concerned what others may think of you.  You can go through your entire life trying to please others but if you do not find happiness within yourself you will never please anyone including yourself.

Never doubt your capabilities because through hard work, perseverance and determination anything is possible.  This is just a portion of the ride  within my journey of life and I see now it is not the end that counts, the most important aspects are the little pebbles along  the way.  The failures, fears, hurt and the off course the highs, all aspects of the stepping stones which will take me towards my final destination.

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

Afraid of oneself

Sometimes, without a thought or glimpse

We find something deep within ourselves,

That has been hidden for a long, long time.

A voice that has been put to rest,

A scream that we fear may surface.

 

Our mind is the most complex and powerful entity,

It can lead us, break us, nurture and allow us to fly.

I find on this journey in life,

Our mind places fear within us,

Fear of change, fear of the unknown, definite fear of what we have buried, it does re-surface.

 

I believe all things truly happen for a reason,

Embrace your fear, do not run from it,

Place it tightly under your belt.

Work with it, use it and the meaning will reveal itself.

 

The only one that allows doubt is oneself,

It keeps us trapped in our daily fixation of life,

Afraid to make the leap that has no guarantee

Afraid to place new burdens on our shoulders.

 

Do not second guess yourself,

Most importantly love yourself enough and believe you have wings to fly.

 

Be Bold, Be True and Be Brave.

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

 

 

The hardest road…

This is truly the hardest road I embarked on, still stumbling daily.

To learn the truth in life, it is so much more than ourselves,

Life after death, to look at it with such importance and not fear.

To follow the commandments set upon us is a near impossibility,

But striving to do my best to set my standards is a battle on its own.

 

To love, a four letter word with such an infinite outcome,

To love when you not loved that is our true test, selfless love.

When we find no replication.

To forgive truly, is effortlessly said but to actually mean it and wipe a clean slate,

As our father does with us daily is a different story.

 

To believe in what we fail to see,

To have faith when everything around us is crumbling

In the darkest moments to know that the light will shine again,

To trust that things happen as they are meant to be not always as we wish.

That is all part of this journey, to learn everything we can about his grace

That has been bestowed upon us, most importantly to put others,

ahead of our own needs, to shield the heart and emotions to be

able to help another without hesitation.

 

To listen, when everything around you is like a train derailed,

Lastly to start each day as new,

To smile as if you have no worries,

To trust as you have never been betrayed

And to love wholeheartedly in a world

Filled with brokenness.

To accept that you cannot change people’s hearts only you own…

 

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

 

 

A daily prayer

I look quietly at my son’s enthusiasm for play time,

He eagerly bounces the ball on the pavement.

He truly can go on which feels like an eternity.

Running frantically from one edge of the garden to the other.

Such excitement, truly beautiful to see in his sparkling eyes.

 

To teach a child love in a world where love is fading by the minute,

Morals, where it has become far and few,

Manners where adults lack integrity.

On my knees I fall,

I close my eyes and pray wholeheartedly

To keep him safe,

That his eyes stay innocent as long as possible,

That he will understand that with punishment he can learn his loved.

 

Through his eyes, I am learning some lessons too,

Lessons of taking each day as it comes, with excitement and eagerness.

To not allow offense to hinder me for long,

To turn the page daily and to cherish every moment.

In photography where you at times feel isolated,

Realize that is my learning experience of patience, love and passion and acceptance.

 

In an imperfect, lost and broken world, there are many good people,

People that can guide him, teach him and show him to be kind.

Love truly is a selfless act,

At times you feel like screaming at the top of your lungs,

You need to breathe and see that we are all human beings

Trying to make it perfect in complete imperfection.

A world where we struggle to know right from wrong,

As wrong has become a part of everyday,

A part of media, that is drummed into us daily.

 

I close my eyes, pray that he will be everything he dreams to be,

A strong character in faith,

True to himself and innocence with a spirit for life.

 

Each and every child represents tomorrow,

You may be an aunt, uncle, god parents, grandparents, siblings or friends,

Treasure them, be gentle and teach them to be humble.

You will be surprised what they can teach you.

 

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

 

Seasons of change – waiting patiently

This is such a short word,

yet so much meaning and purpose is gained.

Each morning you should implant it in your mind,

In this fast paced society it truly is hard.

 

We want to get to work,

Arrive at the shops, indulge in all our eyes can see.

Running as fast as we can, without looking behind us.

Drive without really appreciating the small miracles surrounding us.

Talk without always listening.

We look yet fail to see,

We hear and struggle to listen.

 

Breathe, look around you,

Take each day as a new one,

Do not keep burdens on your shoulders from yesterday.

Each season a new journey begins,

Take time to learn from your previous season,

See where you could better yourself for the new one ahead.

Take on what is possible within your capacity,

 

Stop, see, learn and listen.

This is something that can take you a very long way,

It keeps you calm, when you see things you normally miss,

It helps you listen to something you never heard before.

Most importantly it keeps you grounded when you,

In a battle within yourself, for something that seems out of reach.

Patience, a word with such power.

A power to be calm, to wait, to see and to listen

To hold, touch and love.

 

Written by Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

 

Our path is never simple

The clouds slowly close around me,

The brightness of the sky fades to definitive shades of grey.

My eyes fixated towards the heavens,

It dawns on me, just as the skies moves, darkness surrounds us.

The wind blows, the rains feeds the land around us.

 

The seasons in our lives change,

We grow and change as the days passes by.

Our desires and our ambitions change and becomes more focused.

When we are young, we find ourselves lost with questions,

Where we want to go, what we wish to be.

 

Some of us are blessed with an incredible talent and

From the very beginning we acknowledge and realise our dreams.

Others are not as simple, we have to walk many different paths,

Stumble over many obstacles in our path to find what we are searching for.

 

I truly believe each of us is put on this earth

For a reason, if it’s to love, be loved,

to learn or be taught.

To serve others or be served.

Have pride in whatever you may do,

 

Always be open to reach those dreams,

Or  keep on trying, that is what gives us fuel.

Many failures will arise which should drive our expectation,

the desire to be all you can be.

 

It is not the end result that counts most,

It is the journey we walk on our path that makes it worthwhile.

 

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

 

Hard Lessons

I believe in life we are taught hard lessons,

You can choose to hide or embrace them.

Everything that we work for comes at a price,

We need to choose the worth.

 

Hurt and conflict is part of our journey,

How we face it is truly an individual lesson, when too move forward.

We need to prioritize momentarily, as we shift on our path.

These are all a reminder what counts in our lives.

Who we make time for and more importantly,

How we share our precious moments.

 

You can choose to look at the dark spots,

You can choose the colour, the happy place.

Where you feel your strength return is a good place to start.

Always, no matter how busy you may seem, or lost you may feel.

 

Find the time to say thank you,

For all you have, all you would like to share and

To all that has stood by you in this journey.

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

Choices & Circumstance

 

I open my eyes ever so slightly,

A new day as dawned upon me.

I scurry around frantically because I am running late once more.

 

My alarm buzzes endlessly and I wish I could throw it shamelessly to complete silence.

At times I fail to see how blessed am I,

To be privileged to open my eyes to a new day.

To witness a sunrise and sunset once more,

To have life for another day.

 

To think my thoughts,

To speak my mind and to laugh at silly jokes.

Every day small miracles which we fail to see,

Sometimes only is truly appreciated once its ripped away from us.

 

I am learning to see,

To cherish all around me.

All that has been given to me,

For as easily I may hold them in my hands today,

In an instant it can be ripped away tomorrow.

 

Love life,

Don’t envy and

Live life to the fullest in your own capacity…

 

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

Time is so precious

The minutes turn into hours,

The hours into days, the days into months.

In a blink of an eye into years.

Life is truly so short,

Live each day as if it’s your last,

Release your soul from any past hurt and resentment.

It will only weigh you down, keeping you solidly molded in time.

 

Learn to laugh uncontrollably,

Sing loudly in the rain,

Dance without music and love unconditionally.

We only have one chance,

Spend it wisely, alleviate gossip and hatred.

Perhaps even help guide a lost soul or two.

 

Sincerely appreciate the gifts we have been borrowed,

To cherish our family and friends,

To be remembered for who we are….

Treat others with compassion,

Be grateful for every blessing…

Love without reservation.

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

 

 

Patience

I stare into the darkness,

Wondering on un-answered questions circling in my mind.

Anxiously awaiting, curiously seeking.

 

No matter how we search,

Or seek to find.

It will come in time,

It may not be packaged as we expect,

It may not be found as we seek.

 

With faith our task is simplified,

We lay it not into our own understanding,

Into our guidance, counselor and protector.

The day our eyes are fixed onto others’

Our obstacles seem trivial and obstinate.

 

Our questions may be answered,

Through others in a similar place,

In a different time and space.

 

I sit finally seeing,

That we are on this earth,

Our destiny is paved out for us,

Through our own decisions and actions.

 

Silently, I stare once again,

This time the colours are so bright.

The questions still many,

Content in the unanswered ones,

They keep me curious and child-like.

Exuding excitement for tomorrow.

 

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

NEVER GIVE UP

I look out of the window,

Thoughts rampage through my mind.

Visions, dreams and aspirations,

Of being the most I can be.

 

In life if we fortunate enough to find our passion,

Something that drives us relentlessly through the day.

We need to treasure it, appreciate our loved ones who stand by our side,

Stay true to ourselves and not become entangled in others relentless drive.

 

To strive to be the best you can be,

Is truly the prize at the end of the day.

Comparing ourselves with others,

Could drive a person or crack a spirit in half.

 

At the end of the day,

I can smile, for once in my life I am not afraid,

To give the best of me.

Some may understand and be light the way and guide me,

Others I may guide if possible and

Some were never near in the first place.

 

Never give up on something you feel may be out of your reach,

It may just give you the lift you need,

To keep trying, fighting and

Giving the best that YOU could give….

Being proud yet humble of the person you may become,

For the journey is a long one, it should not be a selfish one

One of self-preservation rather of growth and truth and true appreciation of life.

 

Written by Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

Mother’s Day

When  you smile, I smile,

When you cry, I feel the tear drops fight a mile.

There is a few with love as honest as yours,

It is truly an everlasting bond between two, throughout our life course.

My safety and happiness is your greatest wish.

 

Throughout my life you try to protect me from harm and dangers which I see,

Yet, without hurt, pain and disappointment, an empty shell I would be.

A mother is truly a gift from our Father up above,

A person which we should treasure everyday and surround her with love.

 

When you are young, you are blind to see all,

As the years go by, you realize there is none like her, as you await her call.

The day when I became a mother,

I truly understood the love, sacrifices and unconditional love you have always given.

 

I pray I give my son the gift received,

A strong, unwavering love

That I received from you throughout all the trials of life.

 

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

True Friendship

Unwavering Friendship

This is such a special gift,

Which we truly learn to appreciate as we grow.

As time passes, we become wiser to those near to us.

It is a bond of understanding, love, appreciation and acceptance.

Such a bond is hard to break,

Just a hello, a hug, a small gesture, brings that person near.

 

True friendship can only be rewarded,

On acceptance of oneself.

When we do not look what others have,

We find our own inner joy, not wishing for others.

There cannot be jealousy or animosity,

Or destruction will follow soon thereafter.

 

You may not see each other often,

Yet  you can pick up the phone at any time,

And laugh, cry and just plain and simple talk.

With a hand full of true friends, you are truly rich,

Cherish them, love them and most importantly appreciate them,

For who they are, because that is what makes it so special,

They may have attributes which you admire and vice versa.

 

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen

 

 

Acceptance of one-self… — Sharon Nowacki-Olsen Photography

One word, which truly has so much meaning, It takes away anxiety, hurt and ridicule In life we strive to fit in, belong and be present in a specific situation. Yet we are all so very different, none are two of the same. Acceptance is a word of with great importance. It allows us […]

via Acceptance of one-self… — Sharon Nowacki-Olsen Photography

Acceptance of one-self…

One word, which truly has so much meaning,

It takes away anxiety, hurt and ridicule

In life we strive to fit in, belong and be present in a specific situation.

Yet we are all so very different, none are two of  the same.

Acceptance is a word of with great importance.

 

It allows us to see ourselves and others for who they are,

We need to walk in our shoes everyday let alone another person’s.

The day we truly accept one self,

Your wings can spread and the sky is the limit,

The anchors of our inner fears are released

Then, you do not continue struggling to please others,

You already realize whom will be impossible to please.

 

No longer are you afraid to be yourself,

Be a hand to those in need as you know where your strengths are found.

Your desire to be all you can be overplays your fear of rejection.

To be truly happy in one’s skin is a journey,

A journey of self expression, self worth, introspection, perseverance and forgiveness.

 

This is probably one of the most important facets of our journey,

We can truly be their for others,

Listen, guide if possible and answer truthfully,

Never be afraid to be yourself,

Smile, laugh, cry and scream, different reasons and varying seasons,

With our own interesting and unique story.

Look above, smile and say thank you.

 

Written by

Sharon Nowacki-Olsen