Hidden Treasures

Sometimes we forget how the world around us can change our frame of mind and how it can invigorate the thirst for life. It's the holiday season and everyone always seems to get stressed out. Things are probably worse for a lot of people this year; considering our wonderful economy. I've heard several people tell me this year that they were not really celebrating. I think a lot of people are so absorbed in the moment that they are forgetting the little things that surround them. Recently, I went with my Father to a place called Bone Mountain. This place fits its name. The once beautiful forests have all been logged off and the overall look of the mountain has completely changed. I see this mountain as a symbol for the people who are caught up in in all the ugly things and it's easy for them to forget about the good things in life.

This mountain is ugly, but I found something beautiful hidden in pure daylight. This place was literally stunning. I search for those "Stunning" things in all parts of my life and that search leads to greater appreciation of everything I'm involved in. These places seem to amaze me, but what good would it be if I was alone. I'm so glad that my Father came along. Life is a wonderful thing, but the people who surround us add all the color. John is my Father's name and he was one of the people that was not looking forward to the Holiday Season. He lit up like a child when we pulled up to this gigantic waterfall. I'm guessing it's somewhere around 400ft tall. The area in the photograph above is about 30% of the whole thing. I stood there listening to the water fall across the rocks and I took deep breaths of fresh clean air. I was silent for a few moments as I took everything in and started thinking of the best way to capture this miracle of gravity.

I had my tripod in hand and my waterproof boots were ready to do their duty. I was swept away by the raw power of the water rushing down and what did I do? I went and stood in the middle of all of it. I had to find that perfect picture and capture something that is more than just a picture, but a symbol of how things are this holiday season. This says so much to me.
1. Notice the white ring around the rock in the center.
2. The dead leaves
3. The green moss
4. The moving water

The white ring reminds me that life runs in a giant circle and this bad moment is just part of a whole.

The dead leaves remind me of how bad things come and go. One part of the year they are flourishing and now they lay dead.

The green moss reminds me how something good is always happening no matter how bad your life is at the moment.

The moving water reminds me of how your life moves forward and flows with the changes that arrive each and every day.

So, look for those little things in your life and remember that there is beauty in everything, but you need to share it with the people you love.

This is Jdaniel saying, Happy Holidays!

I've added a song that I think fits this perfectly. If you're curious, then just click play.


You can always see more pictures at my flickr site