“Beautywalks” is the word that I use to describe my walks when I intentionally focus on photographing natural beauty. When I begin these walkabouts, I am either ready to focus on the beauty and awe of the moment, or I find myself struggling with some petty thoughts that cause my mind to spin in discontent. On the morning that I am about to describe, my mind was swirling in the energy of the latter.
When I stepped down upon the sand, a woman accompanied by her husband and dog startled me with an enthusiastic “Good Morning!” I looked up, and out of habit, I replied, “Good Morning, how are you today?”
The woman quickly uttered an exuberant one word response,
“BLESSED!” she said.
I stopped in my tracks. This simple word penetrated my very being. In that instant, I knew what was holding me back from experiencing the awe of today’s beauty. My wants, to do list, and complaints had overshadowed my gratitude for life itself. I had forgotten that I was “Blessed”!
As I continued my morning walk, the sun began to rise in my heart as I literally started “Counting my Blessings”. My brief encounter with this total stranger changed my day, and in many ways changed my life. I now find that my morning self talk goes something like this, “Good Morning Jane, How are you feeling?”
“ BLESSED,” I respond,
and then I start my day recalling the many blessings that are a part of living and breathing on this precious Earth.