The Gift of Light

In life we are faced with two varieties of lights: those which guide us and those which serve as warnings. Wisdom is simply the ability to discern between the two.

Appreciation

When I had reached the peak of my growth spurt as a kid, I pleaded with God for a few more inches. Even as a grown man, frustration finds me in the form of a stiff neck from craning my head skyward to view the world around me.

It is easy to get into the habit of wanting what we do not have, be it money, a perfect body, or a taller stature. This habit is at the root of many life-altering problems, including materialism, eating disorders, and infidelity.

If I constantly tell myself, "I wish I was taller," "I wish I had more money," "I wish I had the newest ..." then I will fail to appreciate the things I have, and (more importantly) the person I am. I will fail to take ownership of myself: one of the amazing individuals on this earth. I will be hindered from becoming my fully realized self. If this happens, I am doing a great disservice to myself and to the world.

Month in Review: May

At the end of every month I will take a day to highlight the photographs that have been featured on my blog during that month. I will also be throwing in additional photographs that I took but that didn't make it into a post. This one is a little late, but the next one will be at the end of June. Enjoy!





To view this slideshow at a higher resolution, click here.

An Apology

Last week I was an irresponsible blogger. I forgot to mention that I was leaving town for a vacation where I would not be able to access a computer. We got back to Los Angeles on Sunday, threw everything we own into the back of a Penske truck, and started the trek from the west coast of America to the east coast. My computer is one of the items in the back of the truck, so my noble hope to publish a sparkling new post as soon as I got back to the states was shattered. For that, I apologize.

I am currently traversing the state of Louisiana and tapping this post out on my cell phone. I know it is a little out of form for my blog, but I felt like I owed an explanation.

Now for the good news: I will be arriving at my home in Atlanta by 2:00 AM tomorrow morning with a camera full of photographs taken in Mexico. It may take me a day or two to get settled in, but I will be back to posting on a regular basis very soon.

Thanks for understanding!

Twists and Turns

Straight lines can be interesting, but my eye is always attracted to the curves. I am much more drawn to ever changing twists and turns. Even when a straight line or a right angle would be more efficient or more practical, still I favor the wavy lines and the rounded corners. I prefer taking the winding canyon roads as apposed to the straight highway. I prefer the rolling hills to the flat plains.



In the same way, I prefer a life full of twists and turns. Sure, the formulaic highway of life may be mapped out and well marked, but I believe the bends and curves of the less traveled paths make life more interesting and exciting.

A Storm is Coming

When a storm comes, we feel that the wrath of God is upon us. When the storm passes, we realize that it was necessary for our growth.

Living with Our Heads in the Clouds

Daydreaming. We all do it. Some of us do it more than others.

Often, the act of daydreaming is viewed in a negative light. Daydreamers tend to be criticized for having their head in the clouds, and for not paying attention the important and pertinent issues. Our society defines daydreaming as an unfocused, unprofessional, and utterly useless waste of time.

I personally feel that daydreaming is a wonderful gift. It serves as a creative palate on which we can mix reality, fantasy, past, present, and future. However, just like the painter who spends his entire day mixing paints to make the most splendid colors but who never touches brush to canvas, if we do not utilize our daydreams than we prove that what society thinks of daydreaming is true: it is all for naught.

In a way, every writer, artist, innovator and great prophet who has ever walked the earth is a professional daydreamer. So are the political activists, the missionaries, and the philanthropists. The craft that they have mastered is harnessing their daydreams into their mediums, and using their various skill sets to connect with and inspire those who need connection and inspiration. They know how to bridge the gap between creativity and productivity.

What have you been daydreaming about lately? How could you use your daydreams to connect with and inspire those around you?

If you need to find me, look up. I'm probably somewhere with my head in the clouds.