Shutter Sisters

The Beauty of Different

By

We all have it. Something about us that is different. But what we choose to do with that different? That all depends. On…

What kind of different it is.

How different it makes us.

How we feel about our different.

What we think others feel about our different.

The list goes on and on. But, the question remains; what do we do with our different?

Enter The Beauty of Different; the brand new book by Karen Walrond (aka Chookooloonks). The title says it all, doesn’t it? It boldly and quite simply states it like it is. Our different is beautiful. Did you hear that? YOUR differnet is beautiful. 

And in honor of that truth-that powerful, transformative truth-we have partnered up with Karen on her quest to seek out and celebrate the beauty in the different for this month’s One Word Project.

We ask you this month to share with us beauty. Your beauty. The beauty of others. The beauty of the world around you. It’s up to you. And our guess is, your vision (because it’s yours alone and it is unique) is different. That’s where the beauty will come in.

Awesome, isn’t it?

So, let’s kick off the month with beauty, in all it’s different incarnations, shall we? 

………..

We are thrilled to be giving away a signed copy of Karen Walrond’s book The Beauty of Different today. Leave your comment here between now and Friday 12/3 at midnight EST for a chance to win.

Comments

  6. Different is beautiful, sometimes scary or confusing, but always beautiful when met with understanding and compassion. Thank you Karen for putting this idea out there in such a BIG and beautiful way. 🙂

  9. I have a set of identical twins, turning 7 on Saturday, that ACHE to be different from the other. It frustrates them that others never know which one they are–I often here them say to their friends, "You don't know who I am?!" and I have to confess I slip at times and I get, "You don't know who your own kid is?".

    When getting ready to leave the house they make a real effort to be different from the other. If one has two braids, the other wants one. If one wears pink, the other wants to wear purple, etc… I even found them using markers to write their initials on their hands so others can identify them.

    As much as their looks are identical, and they struggle to find their differences in their appearance as they get older, they are completely different inside. Those differences I have seen since they were in my stomach–watching them through the many ultrasounds, watching them grow in the NICU–and showing HUGE differences in personality–while only weighing 2lbs, and seeing those same differences now–getting ready to celebrate their 7th year.

    In their case-it is who they are INSIDE that makes them different (not anything in their outward appearance), and YES–it is beautiful.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebeccasmithphotography/5226338486/

  12. Now this is something that I can get behind- different is most obviously identified by my daughter who has Down Syndrome and I most often photograph her beauty but there is a lot of more hidden differences in the rest of my life too that I've become more attuned to (but don't yet have pics of) because of her.
    http://starrlife.wordpress.com/2010/08/10/surprise/
    http://starrlife.wordpress.com/2010/02/14/father-daughter-dance/
    http://starrlife.wordpress.com/2009/04/12/the-many-faces-of/
    Sorry about the number of photos… is that okay?

  13. Looking forward to this month's one word challenge. It's starting to snow here in Vermont which always makes for a stark often surreal beauty. Thanks for the opportunity to find out more about this baeutiful book, and the chance to win one!

  16. I just found this website after purchasing your book two days ago and I cannot get enough. I am so inspired. As a mom of three I have spent the last 9 years teaching my children that different is the most beautiful thing you can be. I can't wait to capture "different" and what it means to me. Thank you for the inspiration!

  19. What a great choice for the One word Challenge. Karen's book gives us a new slant as to how we define beauty. I so appreciate that.

  22. I turned 53 this past month and for the first time, I see middle age in the mirror. The wrinkles around the eyes, the sun damage from years ago, the sagging neck, the expanding middle…I don't feel very beautiful to say the least. In our culture, youth is beauty. However, I know that on the inside there is more depth and wisdom and empathy and solid conviction than when I was beautiful on the outside. And what is on the inside is a beauty I am willing to embrace. I would thoroughly enjoy a copy of this interesting book to celebrate my beautiful middle age.

  23. Wow I'd love to win this book. I think being different is indeed so beautiful. The world would be so boring if we were all alike….it's what makes the world go 'round.

  26. I think if you take time this season it's easy to find beauty but often we are trying to do too much and be something/someone else and we lose sight of the beauty of this time of year.

  27. I would love to win this book! Thanks for the chance!

    To me this chair is beautiful, it was my late Grandfather's. I brought it home and now it is in my bedroom. Each day I take time to sit in it and think of him. The arms of the chair are all beaten up and used, but to me they are different and beautiful. The wear and tear just makes me think of him all those years in his chair, and how he would sit there talking with us.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/49026977@N05/sets/72157624699881548/

  29. To those who dare to be different, to those who accept those who are different! Thank you Karen!!

  31. To those who dare to be different, to those who accept those who are different! Thank you Karen!!

  33. It has taken me years to find the beauty in me. I'm not sure that I have reached a point where I would call myself beautiful but I have reached a point where I'm not afraid to be in front of the camera and not just behind it.

  38. Yes please!
    It took me a long time to learn that trying to be the same is counterproductive, and even hurtful to myself. I'm on the right road, now, and thoroughly enjoying it!

  40. tear-soaked and wholehearted gratitude…'your different is beautiful'. deeply marinating in these words. thank you. for the beautiful words, images and offering…and for inviting me to embrace my difference as my beauty.

  41. Different. I am grappling with this question lately as in the rush of December I am trying to accept myself as a mother of two, with changes in our life that 2010 brought. It should become my new motto "different = the new normal".

  42. I would be thrilled to win the book. I talk to my nieces all the time about how beauty is shown to us in so many ways – differences included!

  51. Love the new word…so many possibilities to take it! I am always trying to find beauty in unobvious ways, and beauty that other people overlook, an addition to the beauty of people, nature, etc etc etc!!

  53. This book goes on my Amazon Wish List – hope the kids see it in time for Christmas gift buying.

    I just joined your sisterhood today – a day when I have been questioning my own creativity – what a balm for the soul!

  54. Our different is what makes us authentic. Authenticity is beautiful! The cover of the book alone makes my heart sing. I can't wait to touch, smell, and experience this book.

  55. Our different is authentic. Authenticity is beautiful. The cover of this book makes my heart sing. I can't wait to touch, smell, and experience this book.

  56. When I think of beauty and different I need look no farther than my own children. Having the same genetic makeup you would think they would be more alike, but they are such individuals and it's beautiful to see the different ways they walk in the world.

  58. Quite often, we think of the word "different" to be negative. Nice that this book is being offered for people to see that being different is actually positive; who we are.

  59. love this word! what a fabulous idea for the month and looking forward to checking out the book!

  65. Different IS the beauty of each of us.

    Thank you for a chance to win Karen's book, and thank you for sharing your beautiful little girl's missing-tooth smile.

  66. I went through my pictures thinking it would be easy to find a shot that showed "the beauty of different" for me (or us as a family.) It was hard. Hmmm…Karen's book looks interesting!

  68. My different is beautiful! I feel so empowered and uplifted. All my differents are beautiful. Thank you for writing that.

  73. This looks like a really inspiring book. It is funny that when we are younger we hate being different in any way and then we grow older and celebrate our uniqueness. Thanks for the chance to win.