Every year, my gift-giving list grows longer, as I want to include everyone who helps me throughout the year. How fortunate I am to have “people”! A house cleaner, handyman, social media assistant, graphic designer, bookkeeper, hairdresser, massage therapist, trainer; then there’s the trash collector and mail delivery person. And my clients, my wonderful clients! I spend a lot of time each year trying to think of the right gift for each person.

This year, I had a lightbulb moment as I was casting about for the perfect gift. As most of you know, I like taking pictures, and over the years, have printed hundreds that I liked for one reason or another. But no house could display more than a fraction, so they’ve been mostly packed away in my basement, giving no one any pleasure. I decided to offer my photos to each giftee, and let them choose if any “spoke” to them.

This turned out to be such fun! Not only did it mean that I saw everyone, but we looked at the photos and talked about where they were taken (and for the abstract images, what they were). The most interesting aspect to me is that everyone chose something different. Some I might have guessed, but most, not.

In some cases, a particular image was unexpectedly meaningful. One time this happened was when I brought some prints to my exercise class, and my trainer/friend looked at a shot I had of a double rainbow over West Falmouth harbor. She then shared a story that gave me goosebumps. Her friend’s husband had died after saving her (his wife) from an undertow. My trainer and her friend had gone to dinner on the anniversary of the husband’s passing, and were hanging out at the dock in West Falmouth afterwards. They were just strolling along, remembering, when my friend happened to look up and saw the double rainbow. For her friend, it was a manifestation of her husband’s spirit; a deeply moving moment for them. (I can’t help but wonder if I took that shot on the same afternoon….)

And the final bit of pleasure? I sort of forget that I’ve done this, and when I visit my friends, seeing my photos on their walls always startles me – in the best possible way. They look great! Everyone has hung them differently than I did, so even I am seeing them with fresh eyes. I’m thrilled that my pictures have come to life again, giving pleasure to my peeps, and their peeps, and who knows who else?

Here’s Lauren, in her studio (Sarra in Hingham and Boston),
taking a shot to post on Instagram.