TerraNova L.A.
We walk a fine line...
As I waited on the beach for the Sun to set (before taking this photograph) I was entertained for a few minutes by a delightful shore bird. It ran up and down the surf line, almost frantically, in search of hidden prey buried in the sand. What stuck me is how the bird was continuously (and voluntarily) on the edge of catastrophe: a moment's hesitation, and it could be engulfed by the pounding waves.
And it got me thinking about our own lives, too. In reality, don't we all conduct our lives on the edge of catastrophe? There is a seemingly fine line that separates sickness from health, poverty from abundance, warfare from peace, hate from love. Like the immutable surge of the ocean, we often encounter forces and circumstances which are beyond our control. The key, then, to living a fulfilling and productive life on the edge, is learning to deal with whatever comes our way. This idea is perfectly encapsulated in the Serenity Prayer:
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference."
*************************
This photo is worth VIEWING IN LARGE, as there is some fascinating detail in the bird's feathers.
*************************
Featured in Explore 2009.12.31 #83
We walk a fine line...
As I waited on the beach for the Sun to set (before taking this photograph) I was entertained for a few minutes by a delightful shore bird. It ran up and down the surf line, almost frantically, in search of hidden prey buried in the sand. What stuck me is how the bird was continuously (and voluntarily) on the edge of catastrophe: a moment's hesitation, and it could be engulfed by the pounding waves.
And it got me thinking about our own lives, too. In reality, don't we all conduct our lives on the edge of catastrophe? There is a seemingly fine line that separates sickness from health, poverty from abundance, warfare from peace, hate from love. Like the immutable surge of the ocean, we often encounter forces and circumstances which are beyond our control. The key, then, to living a fulfilling and productive life on the edge, is learning to deal with whatever comes our way. This idea is perfectly encapsulated in the Serenity Prayer:
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference."
*************************
This photo is worth VIEWING IN LARGE, as there is some fascinating detail in the bird's feathers.
*************************
Featured in Explore 2009.12.31 #83