"We have no right to ask when sorrow comes, "Why did
this happen to me?" unless we ask the same question for
every moment of happiness that comes our way."
- Author Unkown
When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade.
When you go to the sunrise without your tripod mount,
you make abstract images.
This was the Friday of the bad week I mentioned last week. My boy was home from school for the second time in a week because of an arthritis flare, which was making it difficult for him to walk.
I decided to head out to the sunrise for a little therapy, meditation, solitude . . . to one of my meeting places with God. Unlike me, He is never late. (stop laughing Michelle) ;)
When I made it to the top of the bridge I could see the sky was gorgeous. I parked and got out to get my tripod and realized I hadn't put my tripod mount on my camera. But when I went to fetch it out of my bag, it wasn't there. I could not find it anywhere . . . so instead of fight the slow shutter speed and bump my ISO into oblivion I just went with the flow...literally....
...until there was enough light to hand hold without (unintentional) camera blur.
This weeks song-ography is kinda perfect for my day . . . I can see clearly now, by Jimmy Cliff . . .
I can see clearly now, the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright, bright, sunshine day.
After the sunrise, I went to the nearby Starbucks for my usual Salted Caramel Mocha, and had intended to bring my journal and a photography book . . . which I also somehow managed to leave at home on my kitchen table.
So I sat down with my overflowing coffee at a table, the only table left in between two other occupied tables. I was having a hard time that morning . . . some days are harder when you're managing a child with a chronic illness, and no 17 year old should have trouble walking because of arthritis. No 17 year old should have to tell his mom he feels old when he gets out of a car. So yeah, with this flare he had I was feeling really sad for him.
As I was sipping my coffee, the song "Hallelujah" started playing, and that's about all it took for me to lose it. As in, I had to go outside with my coffee because I couldn't cry quietly, because I didn't want to cry quietly. I wanted to scream . . . this, this isn't fair!
I quickly finished my coffee, took the mug back inside and preceded to take a very brisk walk on the boardwalk that overlooks the bay. I came to the railing and just stood there. I was feeling angry, and I'm pretty sure I used some curse words. It was a windy morning and as I was standing there watching the waves, suddenly I notice a huge rock, a boulder being pounded by the waves. Being completely engulfed in the water and then reappearing.
And almost instantaneously I feel calmer, and get this urgent feeling to go back to the car and get my camera. I wanted to document this conversation I was having with God.
He was trying to remind me that when I try to stand alone there is no solid foundation. But when I put all my trust in Him, he will take the brunt of all the waves that crash in. He will hold me steady when I cannot stand on my own.
{KK love}
The rest of the lyrics go like this . . .
Oh yes, I can make it now the pain is gone.
All of the bad feelings have disappeared.
Here is the rainbow I've been praying for,
It's gonna be a bright, bright, sunshine day.
I can see clearly now . . . . as long as I keep my eyes (and ears) wide open to what He is telling me. Life is, always will be, full of adversity. And there is hope in overcoming it when our feet are standing on a firm foundation, and when we also question all the happy moments that come our way!
. . . when we choose to see the rainbow, and not the clouds.
Love, Kim
