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A Precipitous Step

May 15, 2009

“Amalfi Coast” © R.L. Herron

I was looking through a collection of images I had taken a few years ago, when I came across this shot along the Amalfi coast in Italy.

At first, it was just another picture of an interesting place I’d been. But the more I looked at it, the more I thought about the current economic meltdown and the effect it’s having on so much of what we have taken for granted for so long.

Actually, I think I was pondering those things when I stumbled across the picture again, and it just gave me a reason to talk about them.

We’ve all been living in a idealized world. A picture postcard. A pretty view. But the grand view has a precipitous step to it and we, being human, sometimes don’t see the downside of things until we miss that first long step.

However, I’d also like to think that we, being human, have the ability to make the view “pretty” again and learn to enjoy life once more.

Like those folks who have lived along this steep Amalfi coastline for generations, who understand the possibilities inherent in that drop-off, but who also appreciate the beauty around them.

Posted in Lifestyle, Non-Fiction Writing | 2 Comments »

Dream

April 20, 2009

“Photographer Working” © R.L. Herron

I’m actually writing this while thinking about my photographer son. He surprised me years ago by announcing, out of the blue, he wanted to study photography. He’d never shown any particular inclination toward it. He didn’t even own a camera.

Thankfully, I encouraged him and his web site now tells it all. He believed in himself. He studied hard and is very good at his craft. A recent event brought my act of encouragement home to me again, and reminded me how important someone’s belief in you can be.

Let me set the scene:

You’re a dowdy 47-year-old from Northern England.* “Never been married, never been kissed.” No love in your life. No job. No luck. But you have a gift within you. And you know it. You’ve somehow managed to make your way onto a TV Show called “Britain’s Got Talent” and you are now standing on a national stage.

The crowd is hooting with derision. The judge on the left is snickering at you. Simon Cowell is rolling his eyes. Everybody is pretty much certain you’re going to crash and burn in a way that will be hilarious to all.

You’ve “never been given a chance before,” and it’s pretty easy for everybody to understand why. You’re an odd-looking lady and they are serving you up to laughing wolves for the sake of the television audience. This is going to be funny.

What do you do?

Well, if you’re my new personal hero Susan Boyle, you wrap your hands around the microphone, slowly focus and then sing your song to the rafters. You lift your voice to the heavens. You give a life-defining performance and sing an audience of millions into tears.

You hit your high note and bring a lump to the throat of the judges. You bring the audience to their feet as they realize they can’t possibly reach their hands high enough in the sky to applaud you.

You inspire a planet. You knew you had the gift within you. You just needed to be given a chance. That’s all you ever wanted and when you got your chance, you shined brighter than any starlet or supermodel ever could.

I know I’ve learned a very important lesson from both my son, and Susan Boyle. One it’s often easy to forget …

Dream Your Dream.

*Many thanks to Wigan Blue, who corrected me.
Susan Boyle is from Scotland.

Posted in Lifestyle, Non-Fiction Writing, Storytelling | 2 Comments »

Springtime

April 13, 2009

With the coming of springtime, especially in this part of the country, comes the threat of storms. Not something we look forward to, but something we expect as “part of the territory.”

I took this image on the west side of the state as one of those springtime weather patterns rolled in.

Wild stuff, stormy weather. Makes you want to go inside and write about how much appreciate the sunshine.