• musings,  Photography,  quotes

    Finding Ourselves

    July 10, 2010
    St. Agnes Church in Rockville Center

    “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

    Thomas Merton

    I’m on a 4-day trip and sitting my hotel room. It’s quiet. I like these times. These are times when I read or journal, check emails or read a few blogs. After finding the above quote it has perked my interest to write.

    For me the past year has been focused around art. Most of the books I’ve read all pertain to some form of art: writing, painting, photography, sculpting, etc. I’m not sure how much I considered my photography as art but because of all the reading I’ve done, and looking closely at how I work at photography, my views are changing. Photography is my paint brush for expressing my vision, my creativity and how I see the world around me. I’m learning to listen to the voice within me to create images pleasing to me and even write posts about my photography. As I’m listening to the muse, as Pressfield suggests, I’m finding out new things about myself and seeing the world with a fresher vision. I press the shutter button on my camera for my need to express myself. And, to express myself I need to know more about myself.

    Here are some of the books I’ve enjoyed reading lately:

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  • Art/Design,  Religion/Spirituality

    I Miss My Books

    June 12, 2009
    Books

    I miss my books. They are in storage back in Colorado, collecting dust. I’ve enjoyed reading books over the past few years. Books can refresh the mind. When we read a book we individually draw up the scenes and create characters as only we can do. I’ve bought and read books on spirituality, personal growth, enneagrams, religions and of  course photography. I’ve learned to read back over these books every once in a while as they seem to go through a editing process since I last read them. Very seldom do I read novels, usually one or two a year, that’s all. I have a few favorite authors who have helped me along life’s journey and in a way have become my friends. Their books adorn my book shelves. Sure miss my books. I may have to wander in to the library or bookstore today.

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  • National Parks,  quotes,  Religion/Spirituality

    Solitude is in the Present

    May 6, 2009
    Empty Bench in Shenandoah National Park

    “Solitude is not something you must hope for in the future. Rather, it is a deepening of the present, and unless you look for it in the present you will never find it.”

    Thomas Merton

    As time has move on and my age has increased I joyfully welcome my times of solitude. We can create a place in our homes to sit in quiet solitude to start and end our days. With our busy and noisy world I also seek to find places outside the community of cities and towns. I can find these places in our parks, both local and national. To some this bench may seem lonely while shrouded by fog but it is offering rest to anyone who wishes to sit. 

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