In looking at the calendar it’s been just over a month since I decided to take my camera on walks with me and look for the light each day in whatever form it might appear. Some days I forgot my camera, or burdened with thoughts, I saw nothing. On other days I found so many examples of light – the smile in someone’s eyes as they crinkle up, sparkling lights on a cold dark winter night, a glorious piece of music that vibrates in my heart, the aromatic scent of cedar in the forest, a deer that pauses to turn its head and look at me, that I found myself filling up with joy.
My original question was “Would it change me”?
I feel that it has. Instead of walking along my path accepting whatever thoughts happen to move in and fill my mind – sometimes dark fears from others, the media, or myself, I am (most of the time) actively searching for moments of light. And it’s made me realize what a difference that simple tweak in perspective can make. And like it or not, I alone am accountable for my thoughts.
It’s really such a simple choice – through all things, light, or darkness, my choice…
Some days it can be so gosh darned hard and painful and flat out exhausting to be accountable, but I’ve never seen one single written guarantee that said life was all about tripping along an easy path. No matter what we choose to do with ourselves, it’s all tough – to climb a mountain, write a song, give a good speech, say you are sorry, forgive others, speak the truth when others hide, or stretch yourself out to where it’s really scary to take on unique challenges.
In opening ourselves to the search of finding, or creating light in this world, perhaps we will discover that’s all that is really needed, that it’s just that simple.
“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.”
― Maya Angelou