The first place is the one in my lead photo. It's a little spot along the waters that pass under the Twin Bridges. This mighty tree stands tall and proud, albeit curved with age and even hollow at its base. Notice how the view and the tree changes throughout the year.....
Pretty cool huh? And then at the same location, as I look south, I see this line of trees.....
Each day, each season, the same grouping of trees, the same vantage point but a very different image.
Want more?
How 'bout these scenes on Fitch Road in Saratoga Springs?
and this one......
and these two from Stone Arabia.....
Our minds and our hearts take us back to places and times that bring us joy and peace and comfort. Most of the times those places are lush and full of life and happiness, and others they are barren and stark, and maybe a little depressing. I think our lives are a little like the changing pattern in these seasonal photos. At times our lives are good - full of joy, light on worry, surrounded by people who love us and a body that is in good health. Those times are the summer photos - lush and green, bright and full of life. No matter how many times I retake photos of these locations, no two photos will be exactly alike. Similarly, in life many people can go through the same experience - yet each experience is a little different.
Then there are those times, times when things aren't going so well.....perhaps we're struggling with financial worries, or health issues, feeling alone or depressed. Life then might feel dark and depressing, empty and troubling. We may feel broken and empty like the base of that beautiful tree.
Yet even on dark days, it still stands.
Like the seasons, our lives ebb and flow through good times and bad. Some days we feel joyful and grateful because everything seems to be in our favor. We feel the presence of loved ones and feel secure and happy with life. It's easy to get stuck in those dark and difficult times and sometimes it's hard to bring ourselves out of the stark and barren prison we sometimes find ourselves in. Sometimes when we're there, it's hard to remember what it's like outside our darkness and despair. Life is bound to take you through times of challenge. I experienced one of those dark times recently with my 5-week and running bout of sciatica. Unable to walk for more than 2 minutes without sitting to relieve the pain, a prisoner in my home except for PT appointments, unable to take photos or sit at my computer....life sure felt downright miserable and desperate. Luckily I'm beginning to see the light at the end of my long tunnel, even if the light is still in the distance. But..... it's during those times that we find our strength. It's during those times that we find compassion for what others are or have gone through. It's during those times that we find our gratitude for the good times, the times we sometimes take for granted.
The next time you find yourself feeling stuck in one of those barren, desperate places, picture your favorite view, the place that fills your heart with everything good and reach out. Reach out to those who can lend a hand. Reach out to God. And when you once again find your happy place, be grateful and give thanks. Open your eyes and your heart to those around you who might also be struggling in their own darkness and reach out to them. Life is full of revolving seasons, good times and bad. It's up to us to learn to appreciate each one for what it has to offer. So whatever season you find yourself in...the good news is that spring is on our doorsteps, meteorologically anyway, and with it comes new life, new hope and warmth. I'm ready for that, are you?
Thanks for sticking by me during my absence. February was a pretty lean month for blog posts. But I'm back and I've got some good stuff lined up so stick around to find out what's next in Life As I See It.
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