I made this image during the late morning while walking nine holes with Tal at the Pine Ridge Club near our home. Even though I generally don't like my efforts at landscape photography, to my eye the light inviting and the late fall color palate soothing, this scene stopped me in my tracks and I couldn't help myself.
I like this long view. The undulation of the land, the winter clouds, the trees, the pond and dam in the distance, the rich brown of the grass.
Fact is, I think -- just recently -- I'm doing better with the long view. For many of my 59 years I have been mired up in detail; I have been consumed with the short view. Trying to get every "i" dotted and "t" crossed. Not wanting to disappoint anyone. Striving to keep everything in its place (including me). To the point that I really do believe I missed the point most of the time.
Why? Fear mostly, I suspect. Fear of being caught unprepared. Fear of being wrong. Fear of being out of step with the majority. That and self-doubt. Who do I think I am? Someone will be better at this than me. Anyone would be better at this than me.
That short outlook is paralyzing. It contracts a person alot more than it expands her.
What needs to be done this month -- between now and December 25th, between now and January 1st -- isn't final. Those items on the list -- like everything else -- are passing. So, I'm not going to be hung up on the tree or the food or the cards. There can be dust on the blinds and not everyone has to be happy with me.
The question I might dare ask is this: Over the arching sweep of my life so far and from what I can project about my life into the future, am I happy with myself?
Don't stand too close. There's potential at least for some lightening ...
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