i've been looking at photos by this guy, clayton austin (claytonaustinlovestories.com), very much enjoying his photos and thoughts. i wanted to find out more about who he is, so i clicked "my story" at the bottom of the page and found something i wasn't expecting, but didn't very much surprise me.
no "i live here, i'm this old" etc, but instead thoughts on love, and a love for capturing it on film. it's fun to read a boy's thoughts on love.
all of this to say, i thought i'd share a little snippet from his blurb-about-self:
Lets face it. Love is an animal. Though my grandfather told me once that love is more like a bird, if you hold it tightly it dies, if you hold it slightly, it flies. ...I received a letter once from an old friend. She mentioned that she recently had her heart broke and could only wish to one day find someone that sees her the way that my couples see each other. How would she know when she has found the “one”? Trust me when I say that tender gaze, that almost kiss, does not come without work. There will be joy, there will be pain. I have known both. If you are reading this I want you to know that you are amazing. He is not. And this is my advice to you. Find a boy who calls you beautiful instead of hot. Who calls you back when you hang up on him. Who will lie under the stars and listen to your heartbeat, or will stay awake just to watch you sleep. Wait for the boy who kisses your forehead. Who wants to show you off to the world when you are in sweats. Who holds your hand in front of his friends. Who thinks you’re just as pretty without makeup on. You will know he is the one because he will apologize first even if he feels he was in the right, because being right won’t matter if you go to bed angry. When you tell a joke he will laugh out loud. He will constantly be reminding you of how much he cares and how lucky he is to have found you. He will turn to his friends and say, ‘that’s her.’
This is the bird that my grandfather spoke of. When you find this bird hold onto it but remember to give it room to grow. Room to breathe. Do this together. And when you find him, call me. I want to photograph it.
while i love the heart and notion of theses thoughts, the value spoken, i do think that girls need to learn to value their boys on a whole new level as well. though women possess an incredible depth of beauty that every man needs to find, men possess and incredible depth of strength, courage and goodness that every woman needs to have by her side. i also think that very often, men and women draw these things out of each other when their hearts get close enough. she needs him to discover the fullness of her beauty, he needs her to discover the fullness of his strength.
so i think my response to clayton's thoughts, directed to all the boys out there (though i wasn't really planning to respond), is that if you are reading this, you are strong. she needs you. find a girl who looks into your eyes with firm and joyous respect. who is patient when you are childish or don't understand her. who stares at you in admiration when you aren't looking. who finds you devilishly handsome even when your clothes don't match and your hair hasn't seen a comb in days. you will know she's the one because she will defend you when you've just had a fight, and speak highly of you even when you know you've been silly.. she will smile proudly as she walks into a room with you by her side. and when you let your ten year old goofy boyness come out with your friends, she will smile lovingly and say, "that's him."
when you find her, call clayton. i can't photograph that well.
photo credit: clayton austin--claytonaustinlovestories.com/blog
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