I Believe

"I believe in the sun even if it isn't shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even when He is silent."

This quote was in an email I received today and I thought it was worth sharing.   The picture that came with the quote was of a statue in Iraq showing one of our soldiers mourning the loss of his comrades.  Let's remember, and pray for, our brave soldiers today as they fight for freedom.  It doesn't matter if you're a Republican or a Democrat or whether or not you support the war, the soldiers still need your prayers & your support.

Courage

"Whatever you do, you need courage.
Whatever course you decide upon,
there is always someone to tell you
that you are wrong.
There are always difficulties arising
that tempt you to believe that your
critics are right.
To map out a course of action and follow
it to the end requires some of the same
courage that a soldier needs.
Peace has its victories, but it takes brave
men and women to win them."
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), USA

To Dare or Not To Dare

"The dare is to lose one's footing momentarily.  To not dare, is to lose oneself." Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), Denmark

I'm not saying that it's necessary that you climb the Grand Teton.  What I am saying, however, is that sometimes you have to move out of your comfort zone and take a risk.  That risk may be a new job, the purchase of a new home or investment or, perhaps, just to stand up in front of people and give a speech.  Change & taking risks can be scary, but just like in this picture of The Grand,  reaching out and taking risks, can bring new light and unexpected pleasures.  I think we constantly have to analyze what we're doing to determine if we're growing, and expanding our horizons, or just staying where we're comfortable.  Comfort's great, but learning and doing new things can add new joy to our lives.  So, take a look at your life and see if you're happy with where you are.  If you're not you, and only you, have the opportunity to change it.

Opportunities

"Always remember that every obstacle is a test and an opportunity." Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
Where would we be today if our forefathers had looked at the mountains as they were heading West, and decided that they were too tall, that there was absolutely no way around them, and just given up?  Or, what if Columbus had decided that the seas to the New World were too rough and just given up?  Sometimes things in life just aren't that easy.  That doesn't mean, however, that they're not worth working for or worth fighting for, and that we should just crawl back into our little shells and give up.  If you really want something badly enough, or think something is important enough, just do whatever it takes to get it done.  That's how changes are made, countries discovered and new things invented. It just takes perseverance, time and courage.  So, next time you encounter an obstacle that you think you can't overcome, figure out what you need to do to accomplish your goal and just do it.

Glacier Reflections

I recently licensed this photo from a RM site that I submit to.  Wish I knew what publication it was going to be in, but I guess that's the life of a stock photographer.  LOL!  By the way, if you see this picture somewhere, please let me know.  I'd love to know wherre it's going to be used.  In the meantime, though, I'll just enjoy the check.  LOL!

Meditation

"Meditation is a time of quiet when the mind is free from its attachment to the hysterical ravings of a world gone mad.  It is a silence in which the spirit of God can enter us and work His divine alchemy upon us."  Marianne Williamson

Retirement

Living in retirement beyond the world,
Silently enjoying isolation.
I pull the rope of my door tighter
And stuff my windows with roots and ferns.
My spirit is tuned to the spring-season:
At the fall of the year there is autumn in my heart.
Thus imitating cosmic changes.
My cottage becomes a universe.

Lu Yun (265-303), China

Sunset on Kauai

"With hurricanes, tornadoes, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thurnderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Alligiance?" Jay Leno

Well said, Jay! If you don't want to say the word God, then don't say it, but don't expect it to be removed simply because you don't believe in God or don't want it there. It's not abusing your rights by leaving it in, but it is abusing ours by being forced to remove it. If you don't like it, just do what the kids do these days, and put your hands over your ears and say, blah, blah, blah.

Camp of Man

"How hard to realize that every camp of man has this glorious starry firmament for a roof! In such places, standing alone on a mountain-top, it is easy to realize that whatever special nests we make - leaves and moss like the marmots and birds, or tents or piled stone - we all dwell in a house of one room - the world with its firmament for its roof - and we are sailing the celestial spaces without leaving any track." John Muir (1838-1914) Scotland/USA

This picture was taken in Hawaii. It's part of the Waimea Canyon. It's a beautiful area with a variety of colors. There was a haze present most of the time we were in Hawaii and I should have used my polarizer to cut through the haze, but I didn't. So, if you're in a similar situation, get out your polarizer and put it on your lens. It'll give you a better picture.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

"The glories and the beauties of form, color and sound unite in the Grand Canyon - forms unrivalled even by the mountains, colors that vie sunsets, and sounds that span the diapason from tempest to tinkling raindrops, from cataract to bubbling fountains." John Wesley Powell (1834-1902) USA


I know this isn't the Grand Canyon. I haven't been there for many years, and don't really have any good pictures of it, so I thought I'd share this picture of the Canyon of the Yellowstone.

Although it isn't as large, it is still a beautiful place, one that makes you realize how powerful and majestic nature can be. One of these days, I'm going to get up early enough to be there at sunrise, when the light brings out the magnificent colors of the rocks. That would, of course, require getting out of bed at about 3:00 a.m., since our motel is not close to the spot. If I ever make it, I'll be sure to share the images on my blog. If I were you, though, I wouldn't hold my breathe.

Mountains

"Mountains are to the rest of the body of the earth, what violent musclar action is to the body of man. The muscles and tendons of its anatomy are, in the mountains, brought out with force and convulsive energy, full of expression, passion and strength." John Ruskin (1819-1900) England

If you follow this blog or visit my website very often, you've probably seen this picture before. I shot this one at Glacier National Park last year, late in the evening as the sun was setting. I used my tripod and took several shots so I could process the images in HDR. Some of the colors that you see in this image, were not even visible when I looked at the scene. Processing in HDR, however, brought out the colors that were hidden from my eyes. I processed this particular image a little differently from the previous version to accentuate the warm colors.

Nature & Man

Nature and man (human-kind), can they continue to co-exist? What's your opinion?

The supreme act of forgiveness is when you can forgive yourself for all the wounds you've created in your own life. Forgiveness is an act of self-love. When you forgive yourself self-acceptance begins and self-love grows. Don Miguel Ruiz

I hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy this image.

I Hope You Dance Because

I Hope You Dance Because

Time.

Time is a wheel.

Time is a wheel in constant motion

always rolling us along.

Tell me, who wants to look back on

their years and wonder . . .

where their years have gone.

This is from the little book I Hope You Dance by Mark D. Sanders & Tia Sillers

I think we all look back at our lives and wonder where the years have gone. They go by so quickly. I guess, what is important, though, is to look back at them and realize that they meant something, that we have contributed something to this world and to humanity, that we didn't waste them.