“This grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never all dried at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal sunset, eternal dawn, and gloaming, on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls.” -John Muir
Pandemics make travel difficult, obviously, so I’ve been going through my archives looking at shots I either never edited, or didn’t *like* the edit on at the time. I actually can’t remember if I released this before. But if I did, I know I wasn’t happy with it. Finicky perfectionist artists, amiright?
Anyway, today I sat down to edit and felt excited as the image took shape. So, now I present to you…maybe again…a photo of boats!
Earlier this year, I learned of the sudden passing of Karen, a fellow photographer. As I said to another friend, it’s always the good ones we lose too soon.
You see, besides being a lovely person to chat with, Karen was an advocate for the environment and an artist to her core. She started a magazine that was a way for artists to celebrate nature. The idea was that people will care about things they are invested in, things that they love…so she tried to showcase the beauty of nature to inspire others to love it the way she did. To advocate for it the way she did.
She used her talents and time to make a positive difference in this world. It was, in a word, inspiring.
How many people see something they wish were different, better, safer but don’t speak up? How many people think their voice doesn’t matter? They’re only one person? Imagine if those same people stepped up and worked toward change instead of turning away from our problems. Imagine if they used the skills and talents at their disposal to tackle problems and make things better.
Karen was a great example of what could be, and she will surely be missed. I’ll honor her memory by reminding myself to speak up, even if its difficult, about the things that matter. ❤
This is a photo of one of the many incredible waterfalls in the Pacific Northwest. If you’re interested in prints, let me know! You can find a gallery’s worth of options here. You can contact me at seespotsphoto AT yahoo DOT com. I’m offering 10% off if you purchase between now and Tuesday. I’ll donate that same 10% to one of my favorite charities, Heifer International who works on reducing world poverty with sustainable agriculture and business practices.
Today I’m choosing to focus on what I have in life, as opposed to what I’m striving for.
-I’m grateful for my crazy, fun, loving family (especially the time spent with my 90-something year old Grandfather <3).
-I’m grateful that I have mashed potatoes, which I plan to demolish today.
-I’m grateful for a roof over my head, and my health insurance that allowed me to get my broken finger looked at this week. lol
-I’m grateful for my friends who make me smile even if the world feels a bit heavy some days.
-I’m grateful I have the resources to travel, to take photographs and to pursue my dreams of running a photography business.
-I’m grateful for the support of my photography peers and the people who take the time to spare a kind word or purchase a print (it means so much, y’all!)
-I’m grateful I live in a country where I, as a woman, have the freedoms to do those things.
-I’m grateful for the security we take for granted everyday, and for the freedom to speak my mind. (Thank you to all of the Vets out there! <3)
-I’m grateful we live in a diverse country where I can meet people who introduce me to new foods, culture, ideas and religions (because seriously…tacos, pho, pączki, aloo gobi, sushi, paella… I can keep going, but you get the delicious delicious picture!).
-I’m grateful that this past week, I was able to help some friends who lost EVERYTHING in the wildfires out in California. They need so much right now, and my contribution felt like a drop in the bucket, but I recognize it was a blessing for both of us to give and receive nonetheless.
-I’m grateful for my cranky horse, and my difficult dogs. lol There are lessons to be learned from everyone and every animal you meet, and they remind me of the value of patience, compassion, forgiveness and a loving heart.
“The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.” Vincent Van Gogh
I found out recently that one of my students passed away while out exploring his new home. It came as quite the shock for a lot of us that knew him, both in terms of a lost friend, and as a reminder of our own mortality and the risks associated with our passion – landscape photography.
My heart goes out to his loved ones. I hope you find comfort in the joyful memories you made together. ❤️
This shot is from a notoriously dangerous beach in Iceland, with warning signs that often go ignored or misunderstood by tourists. Reynisfjara beach has particularly dangerous waves due to the location and steepness of the continental shelf.
“It’s your pasture now, and it’s not so big–only three thousand miles from east to west, only two thousand miles from north to south–but all between, where ten thousand points of light prick out the cities, towns, and villages, there, seeker, you will find us burning in the night” -Thomas Wolfe
To me, this photo is one of journey and transition, like the snow melt’s path down the mountain. Similarly, like many Americans, I’ve been deeply troubled by the recent zero tolerance policy at the border that infringes on the human rights of children. Am I glad the practice of separating families has stopped for the moment? Yes. Am I concerned about the welfare of the 2000+ children in detention facilities since May? Yes. Am I worried the most recent executive order flies in the face of the court precedent preventing detention for longer than 20 days? Yes.
Do I have a solution? No.
I do know that thinking in absolutes is dangerous though. Very little in life is 100% black and white, and this idea that to be strong, we must give up compassion is immature. Compromise is a way forward. Understanding is a way forward. We are a nation of immigrants, many of whom were seeking asylum themselves. It’s foolhardy to label all asylum seekers as dangerous criminals and its unethical to treat people as animals or monsters. While I agree crossing borders illegally is, well, illegal…I also recognize we have a complex and confusing immigration system.
Do I want safeguards and background checks and asylum hearings in place? Yes. But I can I understand the urgency of some refugees situation that puts them in the difficult position of choosing to cross illegally? Also a yes.
I don’t know where the middle ground here is but my heart tells me without any doubts that our morals and ethical standards, and our compassion for people in need, should not be forsaken. I hope our Congress (contact your reps) can have some meaningful conversations in the coming days and get those children reunited with their families soon.
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