Photographic Grandeur

As a friend and I embarked on our inaugural New Year's Day hike at Tomlinson Run State Park, we shared a laugh about how many pictures both of us are apt to take during the course of any given event.  We also happen to take many of the same pictures.  In the end, the only difference is we each walk away with a collection of pictures that feature the other of the two of us.  So, we eventually combine and have the comprehensive snapshot of our outing.

While this habit may be one that seems a bit tedious to others, I   started to reflect on why it is that we would be this way.  My only answer is that we both revel in the novel perspective we gain with pretty much every step.  It doesn't matter how many fallen trees we see on any number of forest floors.  Each new one we come across offers a hidden world to be explored visually.  Whether a new color, a unique flaw or a simple expression of beauty, it's like my eyes crave the novelty, something new to scan and absorb.

The great gift in this appetite for the visual is that there is almost always something in our presence that can be new and appreciated.  And every once in a while, it's this type of fresh vision that can help renew our overall appreciation for the complexities and beauty available in the world around us.  Go ahead and try it sometime.  Pause amidst your busy day and just find one thing to take in.  I promise that while not every thing spotted will be fascinating or full of beauty, it will connect you with the world around you.  And this can be very satisfying.