Courage
Does it take more courage to stop what you think is not going to work out, or to embark on a journey that could be everything despite the odds stacked up against it right this moment?
Chasing sunsets – do you feel lucky to have caught the beauty of it despite the briefness, or do you feel a twinge of pity that it won’t last?
Amazingly, as the questions bubble up to the surface, when one has made the decision to reach for inner peace, suddenly whatever the outcome is does not matter anymore.
The opening phrase above was something I wrote 25 days ago, at a crossroads with so many questions, at the cusp of the new year, so painful to decide. But I was reminded, if you don’t have your heart open – it can receive nothing.
Since then, the most unbelievable turn of events… still surreal, every single day, where it can bring us remains to be seen, but most of all, I found the courage from his faith in us to walk down that path regardless what it may bring us to, and that truly is one of the most liberating feeling ever.
The cycle of beginnings & endings continue to amaze me, as very different happenings to 2 of the closest people to me proved that regardless of whether the decisions were right or otherwise, it has been made & what comes with it will be dealt with in any way they choose to. And that, taking chances, is all that matters.
Life, you continue to astound me :)
The biggest compliment to a travel photographer
Strange to be writing two consecutive posts about biggest compliments to a photographer… blessed, I really am.
This time however, is more of a lifelong-dream-come-true kinda post :P A while back, the random Flickrite that I am was uploading some shots (which I’ve not been doing much lately, to be honest :( ) when I chanced across the Lonely Planet group that I’m in. The challenge was ‘Spirals’ & I just shrugged and added a tag to one of my all-time fave shots.
It’s a shot of the Simonetti Staircase, at the very end of your visit to Vatican Museum you will have to walk down it to exit the epic complex where you’ve walked close to 2 hours (and perhaps queued more than that!) to see all the wonderful art, sculpture & of course, the piece de la resistance that is Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. More often or not, it is not noticed it at all.
So, one fine morning I had an email waiting for me when I stirred from slumber. I had to re-read it a few times to make sure I wasn’t dreaming still!
It was an email from Mark, the man in the Lonely Planet office in Melbourne.
“Congratulations on winning the Spiral challenge.
Please let me know which book you’d like as your prize.
Also, is it possible for us to feature your photo on an LP blog? The online editorial team have started showing off the winners here.”
I nearly fell off my chair. LONELY PLANET???? MY PHOTO??? ON THEIR BLOG???? YOU NEED NOT EVEN ASK!!!!
As an avid traveller & photographer, there is nothing more holy grail than that (to me anyway) – Lonely Planet needs no introduction, I own a few of their books, checks their forums religiously each time before I leave for a country that I’ve never been to before, was in fact still smarting over the fact that I could not qualify as one of their full-time image contributors (it’s a HUGE commitment)…. and now, having my photo published on their blog?
I really needed to pinch myself. And made sure I didn’t squeal too loudly. And to stop doing the chicken dance.
:P
Anyway, here is the shot :)
Thanks to all the lovely comments, encouragements & support. It comes as the highest compliment to have your work appreciated by so many, and I am always thankful for that & will continue to strive to share more light & words from the globetrotting journeys!
PS* If you are wondering which copy of Lonely Planet book I ended up choosing as my prize, it was a really tough choice between ‘South America on a Shoestring’ & ‘Trans-Siberian Railway’ <— freakin’ cool, right?
But being the Asian that I am, I went for the ambitious South America on a Shoestring bumper copy! More (continental?) destination insprirations ahead ;)