Thank you, ALL of you, who have been so kind over the past couple weeks as I've struggled thru a tough time. Your thoughts and well-wishes have been so heartwarming and uplifting. Never before have I been so open about going thru a rough patch. Music and writing have always been my therapy, and now I've found that photography adds a whole new element.
Tho this has been a difficult time, I am ok. It's not over, but healing has begun. Each day a song I run across speaks to me, like a gift, and I carry it with me throughout the day. You've seen a couple of those songs over the past week or so when I've had photos to put with them. Last Thursday, Chris Tomlin's song "I Will Rise" was my inspiration for the day. For the first time ever, I wanted to GO GET a photo to set to the words. I sent my husband a link to the song and told him I was officially on the hunt for a shot of an eagle. In my mind, I wanted one soaring upwards, not just gliding across or pointing down. I even told the teenager on the way to school that morning that I was searching for one. My husband asked where I normally saw them, and I told him that occasionally we saw them over the bridge on the way to school in the mornings. Thursday evening was a bit chillier than expected, but I wanted to head to Watipquin to photograph the bridge over there for my get-pushed challenge. (This is NOT the same bridge we cross in the mornings!) So hubby and I bundled up and went to get the get-pushed shots. I got them, and I got some sunset shots and bird shots. I've posted the bridge shots as well as the sunset shot, but the bird shots didn't come out well since it was getting dark. In fact, since I rarely see any birds at Watipquin, they're not normally my focus over there. I wasn't at all prepared for them and my settings were all wrong. But as I was looking back thru the photos of the few shots I did take of them, I noticed this oddly shaped bird over the tree. Not your normal marsh bird shape. He was SO far away. SO blurry. So I zoomed in to see if I could figure out what he was. And I zoomed in again. And I started crying. I couldn't believe it. There was my eagle! ... Why? Why answer a silly prayer for a silly photo? It's just a picture. It means nothing in the grand scheme of life. And yet, on the day I asked, in a location where I don't normally see birds, much less eagles, when I wasn't actively searching, in fact, when I was preoccupied with something altogether different, why choose THAT moment to answer my silly prayer?
If you zoom in real close, you can tell that fuzzy, grainy, seriously cropped bird in the distance has a white head and yellow beak. You can tell he's an eagle. But you have to look close, just like life, just like many other blessings, many other gifts, out of focus, when you least expect them, when you're not paying attention, when they make no sense, when you don't even realize you've received them ... you just have to look close to see.
"I Will Rise" by Chris Tomlin
There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say "It is well"
Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise
There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes
Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise
And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
"Worthy is the Lamb"
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise
I will rise
Here's the song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlHUKY3jBv0
My eldest daughter and I started 365 in January 2013 and in February 2013 my youngest daughter Zoe died suddenly in a tragic accident. There is no worse moment in life than when the police knock on your door and tell you that your daughter has died. Deb and I thought we wouldn't be able to carry on with 365 but we were both so glad we did. There were some very dark days in there but photography is great therapy. I now go out each day and look for something wonderful to photograph because Zoe can no longer do that.
Hi - @northy has suggested that I partner with you for Get Pushed. I am a first timer and have only been on this site for a couple of weeks or so, so we haven't yet "met". You have some wonderful bird images in your album! My challenge to you this week is to capture the "Blue Hour" if that suits you so to do.