R is for...

Reflection

The action of turning (back) or fixing the thoughts on some subject; meditation, deep or serious consideration.

Above is just one of the many definitions of reflection
offered by the Oxford English dictionary but it's the one I like best. It fits my current feeling of introspection and re-evaluation of things.

I took this shot of a reddish sky last week. It was just so stunning that I quickly whipped out my camera and captured it. There was a time not too long ago when I fell back on pretty shots of the early morning sky quite a lot. I would stop on my way to work and linger at stop lights in a never-ending effort to capture those moments in time when the sky was putting on an extraordinary show. These days I still notice the sky but life moves so fast that I rarely have the time to stop and appreciate it.

Nature has a way of inspiring relection. When you see a stand of trees like this - so majestic and beautiful - it makes you feel so small. The forest can appear endless and so peaceful.

As a child I loved to climb trees. I would go as high as I could, often with a book, and rest in the crook of a branch for hours. It was peaceful up there in the dappled light with no noise but the rustling leaves. I always felt so safe and comforted.

There was no tree climbing going on the day I took these pictures. Some friends and I went to a local park one sunny afternoon as part of a religious ceremony called tashlich where we symbolically cast off the sins of the past year in the form of bread crumbs. Traditionally the crumbs are thrown into a stream and carried away.

The kids followed along the banks of the stream skipping stones and exploring. My friends and I followed them and reflected on life and the places it takes you. We thought about our regrets and our hope for the future.