Not Just in New England, but Everywhere....
Hello, Blog Friends.
It seems to me that I take quite a bit of photography about Nature. Out here in Western Maine there is an abundance of interesting sites to see in even the most common of days. In truth, wherever you are I am certain the same notion applies.
In my last blog entry I revealed my visit to the hospital after a collapse brought on by exhaustion a while back. I attribute most of my appreciation for "moments" as a result of that experience. Technology via cellular phones has enabled us all to capture "at the ready" all of the amazing gifts that we are given and can appreciate. The technology part is a thing of the times in which we live. The "can appreciate" part, however, is the domain of our hearts.
Sure, economic slowdown, dubious politicians, pollution, bad music on the radio, etc. can be the scapegoat for our complaining and unrest. Truth be told, blaming can suck your spirit dry. Pulling a blanket over your head is another option--we'll leave treating "denial" for your next counseling session. Fact is life is fraught with challenges and triumphs. We don't have to win every game. We only need to know that we have done the best we could possibly do.
These moments I snap in my cellular phone are in my own strange way a gift given to me. In the past my "recognition" of these was something akin to "yeah, that's a sunrise, duh--happens every day." When your heart is open to the miracle of life, though, these moments come frequently and wonderfully. I make it a point to explore nature when I can. It calms me from the challenging innkeeping lifestyle that I lead. It is not time to "detach" or "hide." For me, nature facilitates this space of gratitude but removing me from the stimulus that inspires me and is a mission of my life's work. Yes, a sadness is felt when you depart from your soul's happiness to walk an undiscovered trail in someplace outside of your "normal everyday routine." The rewards that can happen, though, are meaningful and felt in the heart.
Maybe it's the New Englander in me that keeps me strangely in my routine. Being comfortable is a large part of the pay-off in the "usual same old, same old." Chosing to shake things up, unlike those who are more adventurous, is not a personality trait that I hold dear. I have to make a tough, and conscious, choice to venture outside of that mindset for even a simple activity as walking in the woods.
I share this image and these thoughts with you for a reason to strike a balance in your own lives. A very wise woman once told me this: "In life we are not looking for perfection. In life we are seeking balance. To that end, I say: FIND YOURS.
From Western Maine.
Innkeeper-Chef Keith A. Neubert
