Project 365-120

      Thick gray, and angry clouds moved slowly over the landscape today stealing the light from the Spring Sun. Lightning flashed sporadically across a somber canvas, and the rumbling thunder followed in it's footsteps determined to be part of the show. For some reason, my daughters has just been trying on new bathing suits when the sky opened up. My wife, my Father, and me sat down upon a bench beneath the the protective overhang of our roof and watched the drama unfold. Before we could disapprove, both girls darted out into the midst of the falling rain and danced wildly in twirls, hops and jumps. My camera was at my side as usual, so I zoomed out to frame in the magic I was witnessing. It filled my heart to overflowing to see them so uninhibited in their joy at the water falling down upon them. In their minds it would be easy to imagine that they thought it was falling because of them. When the first little white ball of ice bounced like a ping-pong ball on the driveway we quickly directed them back inside. The temperature dropped slightly and then came the rest of the ice falling like anvils from the heavens. They bounced and rolled in all directions covering the black asphalt in white specks. Steam rose up in a few places as the temperatures collided and provided special effects to the event. We just sat there and took it all in saying little, but my soul was feasting on this visual meal.

     With girls melted into warm bath towels we sat and watched the weather system move through as quickly as it had arrived. It was quiet and peaceful to be a witness to this spectacle and my only regret it that it takes something like this to pull us all together even for a brief time. Soon the soaked towels were unable to comfort them, and the morse code of chattering teeth sent the little ones inside with my everyone but me in tow. There was only a light sprinkle now, so I set out to see what I could harvest for today. Not having to go far; I spied this simple purple flower resting confidently among the green ground cover. The light was just faint enough that I needed my tripod to steady my composition. There was just a nice feel to this scene. The harmony between this purple flower and the role playing ground cover was beautiful. Neither one was more important than the other. They just needed each other to be complete. Each content to play its role in the hopes of being better together. "What's my role?",  I suddenly wondered. "Am I the flower or the ground cover?", I thought. A smile slowly spread over my face as my mind spoke words to my heart. "The flower is my wife and children, and I am the faithful ground cover!", I repeated to myself. Of course I am! Let them bloom, and grow, and even lose a petal without a sermon on why I told them so. A man can learn much from the things that grow around his home, and anymore I am not surprised at the way they are weaved into the landscape. They way they are weaving themselves into me. I am the ground cover, and I will let the flowers bloom.

Happy Shooting.