A Thought for Today: Slowing Down...

   You can see it all around, if you live here in the Northern Hemisphere, things are slowing down.  I haven't had to have the lawn mowed in a couple of weeks and you can almost hear the flowers saying, "Ok, enough already!"  This is the reason for the season...the world takes a collective deep sigh and begins to close its eyes.

   But you shouldn't.  This is a wonderful time for the contemplative photographer.  A time to slow down and notice.  To pay attention to the small and easily overlooked things.  The light on a leaf, the crunch under foot, the smell of wild grapes and that particular woodsy smell of the world that epitomizes the autumn for me here in Maine.

   Nature is sending us a very important message as contemplative photographers...SLOW DOWN AND PAY ATTENTION!   It is so easy to overlook the small wonders of the world.

   Yesterday, I sat on the front porch and watched the yellow leaves fall from my maple tree.  I didn't want to photograph it, I just wanted to watch their gentle descent...the way a small breeze would send them swirling.  I tried to keep from my mind the thought that I will have to rake up all those leaves in a couple of weeks...that thought would rip me away from the present moment.  Now it was the time to simply enjoy the dance...