And I can’t believe I’ve waited this long.
Early in my career I regularly wrote words
for people I knew well.
They sat in pews and I stood in a pulpit;
the words were an attempt to make sense,
to find hope, to search for truth.
In the middle of my career I wrote words—
it was called “copy” at that point—
for people who hired me
to communicate professionally for them.
I often did photography for them.
Later in my career I wrote and published books
for the ill, the dying, the grieving, those in transition.
I combined my photography and words with other people’s music
to create audiovisuals for hospitals, hospices,
and other caregiving organizations.
My entire professional life I have written and photographed
for specific projects, particular people, identified needs.
I had been raised, after all, to be a dedicated worker for others.
I worked with my words and my photographs,
and then these finished results went on
to do their own work afterward.
And now, suddenly, right here, I’m not doing that.
Here I’m writing whatever I feel like writing.
I’m photographing whatever comes my way,
like the small red rose
that happened to make its home in my back yard,
blooming away brightly
with frost just around the corner.
I’m putting words and photography together
in whatever way pleases me,
whether or not it pleases anyone else.
Right now I can’t quite believe I’m writing these very words.
Even more, I can’t believe it took me this long to do it.
5 comments:
You quoted John Donne in your Change & Possibility book as saying, "Change is the nursery of music, joy, life, and eternity." Starting this web log is that sort of change. Congratulations.
Thank you Jim, for stepping out into a new expression of your creative spirit. I trust this resource cultivates and nurtures that amazing insight you have into the simple wonder of that which is. Thanks for sharing your inspiration and insight. Steve
Wow. Refreshing work, Jim. And how timely. It was but a few days ago - Thanksgiving Sunday - that, armed with the video Invincible Summer as a sermon prop I talked about you in a sermon in Tillamook. We were exploring the concept of gratitude as an attitude that leads to action. I shared how the experience of your sharing Invincible Summer with me as a multiple slide presentation prior to publication as a video, came at a time when my father ws dying and my mother was an invalid, and life felt "low." Your work transported me through the seasons of grief to life - and I thought of it all as a grand illustration of gratitude attitude! When I said, "Summer, the season of fullness and glory and vitality, trumps all other experiences. That's attitude. And it makes us a thankful people." - I got lots of smiles, and head nods from the congregation. Thank you, Jim - for now sharing in even new ways your mastery of word and image, insight and ministry. Shalom!
welcome to the blogosphere, I'm looking forward to following your posts.
What a treasure and delight to come upon "The Contemplative Photographer". As a recently retired psychotherapist and nascent contemplative photographer, your work is encouraging and inspiring. I especially liked the way you described the mystery and beauty of the process...
Patricia
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