The Photographer
RUBBER CHICKENS AND ROSES
I shared this reflection on my social media page Sunday.
I don’t often find myself the subject of an image. Every now and then I will ask someone to take a photo of me and Les together or we will take a selfie or I’ll get one of me and one of the kids…but normally I’m the one initiating or taking photographs. For work. For play.
I will often see families trying to take a group selfie and offer to take the photo for them…
And I’m really happy to do all of that.
It thrills my heart to get people laughing, let their guard down and capture the moment.
I also truly enjoy sharing images of adventures… After the moment the photo is all we have.
But yesterday (which was Saturday) I put the camera down.
No photos.
No videos.
Last week was just brutal.
I’ve had a merciless migraine most of the week ~ the kind that hurts your face and ears and amplifies every sound to almost distortion. (Thanking God that I overcame my migraine Sunday)
My heart broke a few times over a number of things…so I just wanted to feel each moment not try to document it or capture it.
Sometimes our adventures are my chance to go to the “desert” to pray. To reflect on life and love, parenting and reporting, and most importantly my Lord Jesus.
We flew to Benton Harbor MI with the hope of eating at the recommended Flying Pig. When we got to the airport we were informed that the restaurant is only open Monday through Friday.
Upon recommendation of the staff ~ one of whom was a medically retired firefighter who was trapped in a fire and lost portions of his hands to the flames ~ thank you again for your service and sacrifice, Sir ~ we had lunch at the Mason Jar.
We discovered we were very close to St. Joseph MI which is absolutely one of my favorite places up north. I’ve been there more than once with friends and family and I highly recommend you visit any chance you get. (For those who can’t fly it is within driving distance of Marshall County).
We went to Silver Beach. For me it is the northern version of The Gulf. I get it. It’s not salt water or coastal air; but it’s sacred to me in its own way.
For whatever reason places where the water, earth, sun and air all meet in one place is one of my favorite spaces. Always has been. Probably always will be.
I ran to the edge of the water. Les didn’t go ~ I went alone. The sand sunk underneath my feet with every step as sea gulls flew above me. I felt the sun on my face and the wind whip my hair. I closed my eyes and for a moment ~ nothing felt heavy ~ not my heart or my head ~ I let my soul rest.
The breeze was biting with the last bit of late winter and early spring but it was far more energizing than the constant beat of the cold wind and rain the past few weeks.
I opened my eyes and a beautiful man was playing in the sand by the water. He threw his arms up in the air, jumped around and smiled at me. His clothes were battered and torn ~ he only had a few remaining teeth ~ but the joy on his face was absolutely stunning. Of all the people who were in the park or in downtown ~ we were the only two at the water’s edge in that moment.
Well…us and Jesus.
I made my way back to the car and we headed to the downtown area. We visited Kilwin’s Candy Shop.
I looked at the candies and bought some fudge. As I walked around the tiny shop I felt compelled to ask the customer service clerk by the ice cream shop portion of the store to take my photo.
I don’t normally do that and yesterday I really wasn’t planning to take any photos at all; or ask for one to be taken of me but I did really want to remember that moment.
She smiled immediately and agreed.
She sweetly took time to familiarize herself with my phone camera. She positioned my phone to take my picture. All I could see was her smile. It was so precious it was impossible not to smile back.
Circulating social media is an image of the photographer who took the famous picture of the construction workers having lunch at dangerous heights ~ “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper”. His name is Charles Clyde Ebbetts.
As a photographer ~ every time I see an image I wonder who the artist is ~ who the photographer is.
With social media we’ve gotten away from giving credit to the source of images or videos and that makes sense to a point in such an enormous platform….and I must painfully admit that I did not ask the name of the young woman who took my picture for me yesterday (Saturday).
In media we often simply put: Photo Provided. I really wish I had asked her name ~ but I’m thankful she was there in that moment with me to capture it.
In the end it’s God who created us all in His image and has captured every moment and memory in His heart.
And in a year when this comes up in my Facebook memories ~ I’ll be reminded of Ebbetts and I’ll think of the girl who took my picture ~ and smile again.
Between now and then I’m confident I’ll have captured thousands more images for parenting, reporting, adventures and everything else in between! For now I’ve got to finish getting ready for church! I hope you all have a beautiful and blessed day.
“Photo Provided” by a sweet girl at Kilwin’s Candy Shop.
I don’t know if Jim will have enough room to print both photos; but if he doesn’t I hope he prints the one of Ebbetts.
Thank you for reading Rubber Chickens and Roses this morning, this afternoon, this evening or this night.
Not a day goes by that I don’t think of you ~ those who read our column.
I consider what I will write for you because I want it to be meaningful in some way.
I thank God for you and pray that you are safe, sound, and joyful.
Until next week…sending my love xo