Each and every day we take one step after the next in true and utter trust that the ground beneath our feet will be there. That gravity will never forsake us. Who knew we traveled through our daily lives with such certainty with such faith? Karen Maezen Miller has a real knack for reminded us of truths that are so simple, they’re profound.
Our heads are often in a million places at once, darting from task to task, with a fret here and a worry there but we continue to walk, feet to ground without even thinking about it. It is what it is. The ground is there, no matter what. And even though we do realize that nothing is certain but this very minute, we keep going with a blind trust. The ultimate kind.
So what about this walking we do every day? What about where we land? Do we even notice where we rest our weight? Where we lay it all down with that kind of Universal faith?
I walked and walked and walked all over NY city today without much of an agenda at all. I can’t really remember when I did that. Walked just because I could. Maybe it was because I had a dear friend to guide me and keep me company. Or because I had some time to spend doing whatever I wanted around this amazing and new (to me) environment. The why is no matter. It was glorious. It was empowering and I couldn’t help but notice all the wonders that lay before me; at my feet.
I encourage you to walk and wander and notice what’s beneath you. And if you choose to take a camera along, I’d love to see what you see.
What a beautifully written and inspiring post Tracey!!!! Love the image..and seeing what you see thru your lens. A perfect ‘meditation in mindfulness’. Thank-you!!!!
Here’s a recent one of mine:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=841
My camera goes everywhere with me and it’s become a bit of joke in the tiny village where I live now.
Just a few days ago a woman I never met before said to me in the village pub, " Aren’t you the woman I saw taking a picture of our carrots the other day?" I was so embarrassed to have been caught, but they were hanging from a string in an open window drying with all the greenery still attached and I just couldn’t help myself.
great job
and what a wonderful city to explore!
I have never been inside but have seen it from the outside as a photo waiting to be taken:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sammymom/3762298108/
you must have some wonderful photos, i love that one. it’s great to take a different view sometimes. it’s like opening up a whole new world.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71443419@N00/3720289921/
I edited a photograph just for this post. I was inspired again. Thank you.
http://lifesignatures.org/wordpress/2009/08/looking-down/
A beautiful reminder to observe and remain aware. Thank you!
i live in nyc too and one of my absolute favorite things to do is wander with my camera. in fact, i don’t think i fully realized the magic and beauty of the city until i started getting into photography and seeing everything for the first time again.
it’s funny that, in a city of skyscrapers, i more often find myself looking down than up.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23061481@N06/3321010154/in/set-72157614559392281/
http://knittingsandwich.typepad.com/sandwich/2009/04/morning-shadows.html
thank you for this, tracey. having just hung up the phone with a bill collector, and worrying about the fact that both my husband and i are jobless due to layoffs, i really needed to read this today. every single day is a step of faith for us right now. when i read this post and saw your photo, i knew exactly which photos to use for my post today.
http://itsjusthowiseethings.blogspot.com/2009/08/synonymous-texture.html
This post was so perfect for me- I’ve been wondering if I do in fact have that faith… Maybe knowing that I do but wondering where it is (see blood.poppies.roses.rubies.blogspot.com if you’re interested). Thank you for unearthing that reassuring voice that I new was inside me! I needed it.
This is a great blog that you have here. I have a humor blog myself and I would like to exchange links with you. You can contact me by simply a comment on the site, to make it easier for you. Let me know if this is possible. Jason
http://www.flickr.com/photos/partonponderings/3745071444/
I often find myself shooting from the ground….it offers such a wonderful perspective! This is one that I took this weekend of Jackson Square in New Orleans.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emmaginations/3791088966/
On Sunday, my fiance and I wandered through Denver’s Commons Park to find a "site B" for our wedding on Oct. 3. I got distracted by the interesting shapes, the light, the summer beauty around me. A few shots:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2109/3790447869_4d52554571.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2615/3791260060_067ea7dbe4.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3520/3791259712_06317743ae.jpg
The last one is my favorite. Never seen a drunk doggy before (note the lime in the glass)
Oh yes! The wonderful lightness of being. Enjoy it while it lasts!!! Once your own leg is injured, and your husband stumbles beside you because he suffers from M.S. you might curse walking… but you are even more gratful that you still can! You are so aware of every step you take. And maybe it is not so bad to slow down a bit, and enjoy the beauty of the road you wander.
Most often, I find myself hiking in the forest.
Recently, we went mushroom hunting with a fungi specialist.
It was so informative and great fun!!
http://www.wayfaringwanderer.com/2009/08/difference-between-delicious-dangerous.html