Hashtag Holidate

by Lucy Lennox

“There’s nothing wrong with making ordinary things beautiful. That’s what photography does, isn’t it? Finds the beauty in the everyday?” Maddox studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable. “There’s a difference between finding beauty and manufacturing it.”

“What is authentic, really? If I genuinely enjoy this ridiculous, overly complex, lavender hot chocolate, isn’t that authentic? Even if I also think it would look great in a filtered photo on my Instagram?” “The problem isn’t enjoying it,” he said slowly. “It’s changing the entire experience to make it photographable. It’s the difference between capturing life and staging it.”

I rolled my eyes. “I love you. I’m sorry for not being a better role model.” She rolled her eyes right back, startling me with how much she reminded me of myself. “You’re the best damned role model I could have asked for. Know why? Because you model being imperfect and trying your hardest anyway. And I love you for that.”

“If anyone tries to convince you that s’mores taste better when you char the marshmallow to a crisp, they’re lying. That’s not rustic or old-school; that’s just bad technique.”