A Tale of Two Icicles...

   This is another little breadcrumb* I picked up at my house recently.  It definitely fits into the category of Wu Wei, photographing what comes my way on its own...no effort on my part...I just had to "pay attention".   I discovered these two icicles hanging on my front porch and I honestly was fascinated by them.

   The icicle on the right is your standard, run-of-the-mill variety but the one on the left...well, I'm speechless!  Not only did it form an organic, free flowing shape, it struck out horizontally in both directions.  (It reminded me a bit of the map of Italy!)  It even managed to form a small hole.

    The free-form icicle also looks stunning, and very different, from the other side...almost like a strange bird in flight. (Remember my recent post on the need to change perspective from time to time?)  Both icicles formed at the same time but in such totally different ways it is a bit hard to comprehend.  Same weather conditions, same slowly dripping water from the same roof but such radically different results!

   I've lived in Maine for 18 years and I can't remember ever seeing such an amazing icicle formation.  Perhaps I just wasn't paying so much attention to them as I have been this winter.   It makes me wonder what other amazing things I've missed by not paying attention the ordinary and commonplace! 

   It didn't take me long to step into a metaphorical reading, a PhotoLectio, of my two icicles.   People can be like these two icicles I decided.  Give two people the same conditions, the same starting point and some will take the tried and true path...the safe and easily predictable path while the other will opt for the beauty of the untried and unproven...they will risk possible failure to sail in uncharted waters.

   While it is so much easier to be safe and predictable, to do what the world expects you to do, it is so much more fun to be the risk-taker and explorer...not only thinking "outside the box" but dispensing with the box altogether.  Which kind of icicle are you?

* For readers new to this blog "breadcrumbs" are little contemplative tidbits one finds along the way. Gathering breadcrumbs is a form of walking meditation and is an intuitive and spontaneous process that is fun to do wherever you are with your camera.