On our
recent trip to France, we had one goal in mind (besides general
sight-seeing): to see Mont Saint-Michel with our own eyes. Not Paris, mind you,
or anything therein. Just Mont Saint-Michel. Next to Paris, it's
apparently France's biggest tourist attraction. You can understand why.
But after it was done, Astrid and I both said to each other: we've done it once; we never need to do it again!
Please explain that to me. How is it possible to see something so incredibly unbelievable and never need to see it again. A wonder of the man-made world. One of the top attractions of a country...or a planet. And once is enough!
But see something like fields of sunflowers (which were in bloom all over the southwest of France), humble stone churches from the 12th century (in almost every village), Chambres d'Hôtes (Bed & Breakfasts) made out of ancient stone...and...I can't get enough of them! I'd go back and see every one of them over and over again.
It's the same with photography. Look at the images we see almost every day on the Internet that blow us away. Macro shots of honey bees and flowers. The smile of a little girl in a swimming pool. The barefeet of a newborn grandbaby. The character of a wizened face. Dogs frolicking together in ecstasy. Tell me those aren't wonders of the world. Tell me they don't take your breath away. And do you have to pay one red cent for them? No.
We all know this, of course, that life is short. There's only so much we can see and do. Most of us will only check off a few things on our "bucket list," if we're lucky. Some of us more than others, perhaps. But all of us can pay attention and figure out what's important and what "wonders" us...sometimes right before our very eyes.
I wish it for all of us...the Bucket List and those wondrous things waiting for us right here and now. Which reminds me: I need to go take a walk again past that windmill right around the corner from me!
[On my other-other blog (besides Shutterchance, that is), you can see various other images in collages of the Mont Saint-Michel experience we'll never forget. We climbed all the way to the top and wound our way throughout the Abbey maze of ups and downs, back-n-forths.]
But after it was done, Astrid and I both said to each other: we've done it once; we never need to do it again!
Please explain that to me. How is it possible to see something so incredibly unbelievable and never need to see it again. A wonder of the man-made world. One of the top attractions of a country...or a planet. And once is enough!
But see something like fields of sunflowers (which were in bloom all over the southwest of France), humble stone churches from the 12th century (in almost every village), Chambres d'Hôtes (Bed & Breakfasts) made out of ancient stone...and...I can't get enough of them! I'd go back and see every one of them over and over again.
It's the same with photography. Look at the images we see almost every day on the Internet that blow us away. Macro shots of honey bees and flowers. The smile of a little girl in a swimming pool. The barefeet of a newborn grandbaby. The character of a wizened face. Dogs frolicking together in ecstasy. Tell me those aren't wonders of the world. Tell me they don't take your breath away. And do you have to pay one red cent for them? No.
We all know this, of course, that life is short. There's only so much we can see and do. Most of us will only check off a few things on our "bucket list," if we're lucky. Some of us more than others, perhaps. But all of us can pay attention and figure out what's important and what "wonders" us...sometimes right before our very eyes.
I wish it for all of us...the Bucket List and those wondrous things waiting for us right here and now. Which reminds me: I need to go take a walk again past that windmill right around the corner from me!
[On my other-other blog (besides Shutterchance, that is), you can see various other images in collages of the Mont Saint-Michel experience we'll never forget. We climbed all the way to the top and wound our way throughout the Abbey maze of ups and downs, back-n-forths.]
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