Tag Archives: diversity

C L A S H I N G

Posted on by

Light illuminates the farmer’s field as forebodding clouds roll over it. Rain water still carreesses the black bottomland soil. The tanned prairie grass waves proudly on a tall berm built to hold back potential floodwaters from the Missouri River. The blue sky beyond fortells clearer days ahead and a plentiful crop to be harvested come summer.

Thus are the details during the moment I shot this image. Why did I choose it from many others I took? I’m not sure, except I like the variety of natural elements and opposing action taking place. I am reminded of people, and diversity, and of conflict. If one can focus beyond the imminent danger, resolution and calm can prevail.

Such is my hope.

Hanging by a Thread

Posted on by

On a warm October day I came across this leaf dangling above a popular local walking trail. Suspended by an invisible thread crafted by an equally invisible spider, this anomaly nearly landed in my hair. Obviously, I stopped to study the leaf, and more importantly, the source of its suspension. With just the right angle of light I saw a single strand of silk draped from tree to tree. The architect/builder was not in sight. I like the contrast of colors and shapes in this scene…such pleasant diversity.

I suddenly thought about how many of us seem to be ‘hanging by a thread’ while traversing this strange road of infection, politics, financial uncertainties, civil unrest, etc. For some, hanging on to normal is a full-time task while others carry-on without too much difficulty. Regardless of one’s station in life, all of us are affected by this period of uncertainty. I suppose we could take solace in the fact that others have experienced similar struggles in the past. However, this truth doesn’t seem to bring much comfort.

What should provide some consolation is knowing that these gray days will pass, as they always do. Waiting is difficult. Peace can be sought in many places and in many ways. I find mine through faith in an Omniscient and Omnipotent power. I hope you find peace.

Cacophony

Posted on by

My internet dictionary describes Cacophony as “a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds”. This term is often applied to an orchestra tuning their respective instruments before a concert. Each participant wants to achieve the best sound from the instrument as he or she plays it. From an audience’s point of view, it may sound a bit unorganized and odd. However, I like the warm-up and find it intriguing to listen to and watch.

For those of you who have children, grand children, nieces and nephews, you understand the definition of Cacophony! Crazy, fun, annoying, intolerable at times, but also a joyous sound during most moments. “Bless the little children”, said Jesus.

I could quite literally produce hundreds of photographs which would describe this word without using words. Life is just like that; a cacophony of experiences loud and soft, coherent and disconnected. This so-called chaos may come in the form of sound, as mentioned; visual, as represented in these two images; inner voices and / or confusing feelings, as so many of us have experienced; disturbing dreams; or experiences too baffling to explain.

Laser Lights 1-25-13 a

These photographs created a cacophony of sorts for me which included visual, audible and conflicting feelings. The photos were taken with my cell phone’s camera at a multi-band concert a few years ago. What seemed like chaos to me was simultaneously a joyful consensus of understanding and interpretation by many who attended this event.

Laser Lights 1-25-13 b

It seems to me that diversity is a key element to living a conflict free and satisfactory life…one without judgment or anger or fear. Also, a life with the freedom to chose what moves you. The cacophony of life can result in positive or negative experiences. As a favorite local artist of mine states on his business bookmark card, “Art is simple. You either like it or you don’t”. For me, Mike Savage summed up how we should live using this statement which presents itself as a philosophy for living. However, be gentle and kind when living-out this simple process. There should be no sense of judgement or condemnation.

 

Change

Posted on by

 

It is wonderful to witness a pair of Mallards move along a pond as if ice skating…so smooth. Even more so when they are paired with their hens. The other hen is just right of this photograph. I tried to capture all four of them, but they became leary of my presence and divided a bit.

IMG_0299

A short walk on a very windy Fall day revealed that the season is definitely changing from Summer to Autumn.

IMG_0282.JPG

The old and the new somehow gel together. This old silo has witnessed many of harvests, but it only sees housing sub-divisions built around it these days. It seems to be inevitable that fallow days are numbered. We all need energy, but is the best way to acquire it?

IMG_0306

Prairie grass still stands tall, but only for a short while. Soon, blue grass lawns and residential housing will take over this parcel of land..what used to be grazing fields, ponds, and hedge trees.

IMG_0279

Grateful for electricity. Looking forward to other viable sources for energy in the future.

Harmony

Posted on by

Montreal Church & High Rise

Welcome.. I chose this photograph of a part of downtown Montreal while visiting a few years ago. The variance from this modern glass-paneled high rise to that of the old stone church initially struck me as out of place due to the proximity of the old and new so close together. Actually, there are several old churches dotting the modern Montreal landscape. There is also an entire historic section of the city referred to as Old Montreal. I like the preservation of the historic contrasting with the contemporary. There is a sense of cohesiveness associated with this dynamic.

The young and the old peacefully co-existing can be applied to people, as well. So can folks of different ethnicity, skin color, language, tradition, religion, cuisine, celebrations, holidays, etc. When people get it right and see diversity as a strength rather than being fearful of it, living together can actually be a pleasant experience for all. I acknowledge that melding together in this era is especially difficult due to the violence of a few who negatively affect so many.

Nevertheless, may we all strive for a piece of Harmony among one another. This is how our world was originally created. Pray that it will continue to be moving forward. Thanks, and enjoy today, tomorrow, being alive and loving what is good and discarding what isn’t. There is too much beauty in our world to be wasted on negatives.

 

L A Y E R S

Posted on by

img_9419

Sunrise, Lenexa, Kansas, USA, at approximately 7:30 am or 0730 hours, January 31st.

Walked to my car from the health club after a workout and this is what I witnessed.

The actual sunrise was much more outstanding than my photograph, especially as it changed colors and shapes by the second.

After downloading this image to the computer, the layering seemed to magnify itself.

So, I thought about layers. We sometimes hear that certain things are only skin deep. At other times we hear that some things are buried so deep they can’t be found.

The reality is that when it comes to life, most everything that lives has layers: whether it be physical, emotional, mental or anywhere outside these realms. Life is complex.

I would like to limit this post to humans. We are fragile, yet flexible. We are strong, yet weak. Courageous, yet cowardly. Compassionate, yet cruel. Kind, yet mean. We are amazing. We are a mystery.

Like an onion which has a layer of silky skin upon juicy layers of zesty fruit, we can peel away and come to the heart of this vegetable without really understanding its uniqueness. We simply take for granted that is how all onions are and so be it. Like them or not. I venture to say that people are similar to onions in that we possess a complexity of layers.

We are not single cell organisms like some bacteria, but complex in every discernible way. This complexity is patterned after the Creator of the universe. Appreciate the commonness as well as the uniqueness.

If you can relate, I am so tired of the charade that is taking place in our world-especially in America. So many are divided. So many are angry and critical. So many are giving up. And, so many feel lost. This doesn’t even cover the majority of our world who don’t have a clue as to what I just stated-they are simply trying to survive. Can you imagine that…existing each day merely to make it to the next?

So, I return to the topic of layers. Explore the diversity, the uniqueness, the amazing in others, and in yourself. This may take some time as you peel away each layer, but discovery awaits. But, please, do not forget to explore the oneness we all have as human beings created in the image of God. May we all experience, and exercise, more peace and patience each day. The world needs it, you need it, and I definitely need it, as well.