Learning to appreciate the silence

I started writing this blog seven years ago. Life with Dylan has been a wonderful creative outlet for me and has served as a platform from where I could share Dylan's conservation work with people all over the world. This blog has brought much joy to my life and has changed Dylan's life in ways I can't even begin to explain. However, as with all good things, there comes a time to scale back. A time to move on.

Dylan is getting older and the intention of this blog was never to make him feel uncomfortable or that he was on some sort of public display. Yes, he is proud of his accomplishments and the conservation work he has done with San Diego Zoo Global - I don't see this part of his life stopping, ever. Despite that, privacy is becoming more important. The anonymity of our conservation work has a very alluring appeal for both of us.

On a recent weekend getaway I had the opportunity to relax in the evenings. No computer. Just me and a book and little knitting time. I thoroughly enjoyed the quiet. My brain was not spinning in 10 different directions. I was not thinking about how long it had been since I wrote a post here or shared new photos on my Flickr account; in other words, I wasn't feeling guilty.

I was, dare I say it, Relaxed.

As I get older (and wiser) I am learning to appreciate the silence and live in the moment. Sitting in the hotel room, I thought to myself "Could it be time to move on?" Back in August I said good-bye to part of my virtual world when I realized that there was a Life After Social Media. Now, three months later I'm wondering if it might be time to say good-bye to the virtual Life with Dylan and concentrate more on the real Life with Dylan.

Sure, I want to continue creating awareness and spreading the word about conservation issues that we believe in, but do I really need this blog to do that? Blogging is not the only platform out there. I can use Twitter and Instagram ... and maybe a few shares here and there on Facebook. (I'm still teetering on leaving Facebook)

I recently re-launched my own website, MichelleFryer.com, as a photography site. A place where I can share my photos and use photojournalism to share my passion about conservation and nature. Photographs are a wonderful way to create awareness and tell stories, a simpler way, a way that better fits my changing lifestyle.

So is this really good-bye?
Will this be my final post on Life with Dylan?

That is a question I cannot answer.
This blog is a part of me - it has been for the past seven years.

For now let's just end with you can still find me actively taking part here ...

Twitter     @mlynnfryer

Instagram     michellefryer

As always, Life with Dylan inspires me to see the world a little differently than I did before.

Fallen leaves become art.