get to know us: q's for ali

1) How are you seeking the benefits of solitude during this time?

Well, I really love solitude, so it's been a good time for me to read books, journal [a LOT!] & listen to podcasts. I'm really interested in how people react/adapt to what life hands us, so I've had plenty of time to reflect on what's happening in the world & also how it's affected me. I'm also watching all the movies I've always said "I really want to see that!!" & never did.

2) Tell us of a notable memory from childhood that might shape the way you move through the world today.

I was really lucky to grow up in a small, safe town. I walked to my friends' houses all over town & built friendships that I still maintain closely today. I think that, paired with seeing my parents have really great long term friends & how they prioritized keeping in touch with them, has really impacted my life. Friends that are like family are so important to me & I am thankful that I learned how to care for people, stay in touch & remain friends, even when we don't live close. I guess it's a collection of notable memories, but regardless, they've shaped me!

3) What is something you are yearning to experience?

Seems really simple, but I've always wanted to skydive over a tropical landscape. To see the world from that high up & feel like you're floating over it...it sounds amazing to me!!

4) What is your most cherished space/object in your home?

I live in a tiny 800 sq ft apartment, so every corner is space that I cherish. I do have a chair by the window that I love. I can look out into the street below & see people from ALL walks of life. I can read my books, drink coffee, write in my journal...it's well loved. It's also surrounded by plants, so that helps too.

5) Who or what has been your biggest inspiration in your adult years?

Travel will always be my biggest inspiration. When I travel, I get to see new places, expand my idea of 'normal' & experience other cultures. There's nothing like learning about the ways that people around the world do things, it has grown me & opened my mind to ways of life I may never have understood. That & the feeling of being in a new place, getting to experience something for the first time, I love it so much.

6) Name 3 of your favorite books you've read.

Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. Untamed by Glennon Doyle. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.

7) In this most surreal time, what are you currently revisiting?

I'm spending a lot of time thinking about the simple things in life. Things that make me happy, things that I loved as a child. Slowing down & embracing how uncomplicated life was before we learned to glorify hustle & busy. I'm revisiting a lot of childhood memories & seeing how life has grown & changed me over the years!

8) What's next for you in the pursuit of creation when the world opens up again?

I'm a photographer & I'm really missing photographing people. Documenting the connection we have as humans & the way love can look so different for everyone. I also love photographing simple, seemingly normal moments [which we've had a LOT of!!!] but doing that for other people is something that gives me so much purpose!! I'm excited to redefine what that looks like & hope to be able to show how other people have redefined their lives. With so many weddings being postponed, I'm excited to see how we change & adapt to our experiences from this time.

9) If you were to go back and redo anything in your life, would you and what would it be?

I honestly don't think I would. I traveled quite a bit in my later teenage years & then after high school I moved to study abroad for 2 years. After I got married I still traveled a lot with my husband, which I am so grateful for. I feel like I've lived a full life & that every decision I've made [good & bad!!] has made me who I am today. There are some years there in the middle that I sometimes feel were wasted, but looking back, I learned a lifetime of lessons, so I guess it really is always worth it.