Oct 27, 2008

R is for...

Reflection

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

IMG_2536[1]
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.

IMG_2532[1]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.

IMG_2533[1]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.

3 comments:

margene said...

This ritual sounds like a lovely way to start a new year.

Anonymous said...

And 10 years after you stopped climbing the trees in the backyard, the arborist doing work in our back yard brought me a pulpy mess he found wedged 30ft up in a cleft. Forgotten. Also found was a pair of sneakers, taken from a babysitter and hidden up there.

Carole Knits said...

Reflecting is good. It shows you where you've been and gives you time to think about where you want to go.