Springtime brings with its renewal and rebirth a rejuvenation of faith, hope, and time for reflection. It is a great time to bring out the camera to catch splendid candid shots of Alma Natura as she dresses in her finest.
During a recent walkabout near my home, my thoughts turned to a favorite subject… my personal concept of Serendipity… and especially how it relates to my favorite interest, photography, and my quest for that special and unique shot.
Lady Serendipity
So what is Serendipity to me? I choose to give Serendipity a mysterious presence, something I can’t quite put my finger on. In my search for that special photo, I prefer to see Serendipity as a beautiful, shy lady… perhaps a woodland fairy or nymph coyly hiding. Sometimes while walking through nature, I sense her out of the corner of my eye, just on the edge of my peripheral vision, and feel that if I turn quickly enough she may become visible.
In our normal daily lives, we often pay little attention to the natural world around us. Instead we focus our attention on what confronts us each day… things we have to do, our schedules, our problems, events and happenings, and our feelings. But as far as noticing God’s gift of natural beauty about us, we generally fail to do so.
It is very difficult to stop, block distracting thoughts, and look intently at the natural world… to notice the movement and smell of the breeze, the flowers, the trees, the birds, the animals, and the water. We find it so hard to redirect our focus to the beauty of nature and place it at the center of our attention. Yet this is what we must do to catch a glimpse of that nymph, Serendipity, perhaps in a bunch of wildflowers or in the reflections on a stream.
So we are our own worse enemy! Serendipity is a lady! She doesn’t come to you. She waits secretly for you to find her, often in the most ordinary of places. Serendipity is not easily found. Your best opportunities always come unexpectedly by chance, usually while strolling with full awareness of your surroundings in a secluded area… such as a woodlands, beach, garden, or park. If your senses are alert, you may feel her presence about you. Always have your camera ready, be watchful, and she may decide to present herself to you… in that very special photographic opportunity. If Serendipity favors you, gladly thank her, and you will continue to find her near you again and again.
Happy hunting!
