… there was an empty page. And it needed to be filled. Not because the page had any agenda of its own but simply because Nature abhors a vacuum and will always rush to fill one.
One great way for me to get something going in my life is to open up new “space” and see what happens. That is what I’ve done with my blog and this first entry.
Why start with this picture?
Simple. I took it and it is the best Nature picture I’ve done (so far). This is a photo of a place near where I live that I love to go to.
But as I selected it, I realized it has more meaning than that. In fact, it is a great representation of the purpose of this blog.
This river comes crashing down the mountain, full of power, making lots of noise, moving at times with purpose and sometimes with wild abandon, bouncing off obstacles in its race to the ocean.
But at various places along its journey, it takes time to rest and reflect. At the spot in this photo, it settles quickly into a set of deep, quiet pools, surrounded by sheer rock cliffs and illuminated by sunlight bouncing off the rocks beneath its surface. No longer racing ahead, it ambles along, twisting this way and that, the power still present but subdued and much more forgiving.
The thrashing opacity and roar of the rapids is gone, and it is possible to see how wonderfully crisp and clear the water really is in the quiet that settles over the surface. After a little while, the river will gather its strength and speed again to resume its mad dash. But during its time in these pools, it allows others to see through it and, in fact, welcomes them to play with it. Children and adults jump off the cliffs above into the deep, clear pools, confident they can see any dangers lurking beneath the surface. It is a restful yet playful place for both the river and all those who love it. I’ve learned many things about myself and others in this place.
Like the river, I rush through many parts of my life, bouncing from challenge to challenge, and opportunity to opportunity, my head filled with a powerful churn of ideas, my space filled with the roar of conversation and human activity. But in recent times, I’ve learned I need to occasionally slow right down, let the rapids and whirlpools of my thoughts subside and the cacophony of my activity fade away. It is during these times that I get the greatest clarity of who I am, how I am and even perhaps why I am.
My intent with this blog is to give myself a place to share a little of what I see and feel when I enter this “space” and some of the other less contemplative places in my head. What I say may be quiet and accommodating or it may be loud and aggressive. Whatever the case, I sincerely hope it will be transparent; that you will be able to clearly see what I’m saying and any agenda I may have in saying it. Time will tell how successful I’ll be.
Let me know what you think.
P.S. This piece was the first blog post I ever wrote. It was originally posted April 28, 2006 on my Blogger site which was called “The View From Up Here” and is now shut down.
