One of the unexpected gifts of living alone—at least for a creative like me—is the incredible amount of quiet time. And in that stillness, I find more time to shoot, to edit, to write, to think. But mostly, I find time to feel.
This morning, as I sat with my coffee, I had one of those feelings that hit like a freight train: how easy it is to be full, but how hard it is to be fulfilled.
Life is full of things that fill us up—money, careers, relationships, food, sex, social media, entertainment, alcohol, dopamine hits from our phones. We chase these things because they promise quick, immediate satisfaction. And sure, they can make us feel full for a moment. But do they fulfill us?
Being full isn’t the end game, is it?
That’s the real question.
I’ve had seasons in my life, many of them actually, where I had everything I thought I wanted—success, recognition, adventure, things. I was full. But was I fulfilled? Not always. Because fulfillment doesn’t come from excess. It comes from depth. It comes from meaning.
Maybe that’s why it’s so damn easy to stuff ourselves with the wrong things and so damn hard to find what truly fills our core.
But here’s what I’m learning: fulfillment isn’t something we stumble upon by accident. It’s something we seek, something we create. It’s in the work we pour our hearts into. It’s in the relationships that go beyond a surface level. It’s in the moments where we feel small in the presence of something greater—whether that’s nature, art, or a purpose bigger than ourselves.
And isn’t photography the same?
It’s easy to fill up on snapshots—hundreds, thousands of them. Click, click, click. More, more, more. But more doesn’t always mean meaningful. A camera roll stuffed with images doesn’t guarantee a single great photograph.
Just like in life, we have to be intentional. We have to slow down, to see before we shoot. We have to stop chasing what looks good on the surface and search for what feels right in our core.
The best photographs, like the best lives, aren’t just full. They are rich with meaning. They tell a story. They capture something true.
So here’s my encouragement—to you, to me, to all of us: Don’t settle for being full. Seek fulfillment.
In life. In art. In everything.
Click.
Jack.
