Walking Through Fog

Photos of fog are, to me, some of the most beautiful nature pictures. 

The number of photos I have of fog is second only to photos of waves. When I am walking through fog, I feel like I am surrounded by beautiful mystery. Fog evokes a mood - intrigue, enchantment, or awe. Suffice it to say, I love walking through fog. Physically, that is.

Contemplating life in the fog.

But emotionally, walking through a fog is an entirely different experience. It can be downright awful. When you are in pain but can't see a way out of it, when you can only see the very next step in front of you, all you want is for the fog to clear. Feelings of mystery are replaced by fear and awe can turn into dread.

With photography, you can turn a drab picture of fog into something beautiful with the right tools and editing. So, too, can you do emotionally. After you've gone through something, you can re-frame it and with enough distance you may even see some glimmer of beauty in the experience.

But what about in the moment? How do you deal with the fog while it surrounds you, when it is enveloping you? You do what you can. You let your eyes adjust and focus on what you can see. You take careful steps and as you go, the path will continue to unfold. And remember that fog eventually lifts. In time you will be able to see more and more of the world around you. The sun will shine again.

And you can take some beautiful photos in the sun. Those can be pretty darn great, too. 

Forgiveness: Reaction vs. Response

Humans are animals at our core. As such, there are certain reactions that are part of our being - when we are hungry we react by getting food; when we are thirsty, drink; when we are caught in the elements, we seek shelter.  Those are reactions to our physical needs.

When it comes to our emotional needs, we do have gut, knee-jerk reactions, too. But are those reactions always the best solutions? A response is different than a reaction. A response is more thought-out. A response can be more tempered. A response can make you choose the exact opposite of your initial reaction.

Life is difficult at times, but each difficulty is an opportunity to grow in virtue and character.  It may not feel like an opportunity, a positive thing, in the moment. But you can work to turn all things to good. You can make a choice and have a response that would lead to a better outcome for you.

Take, for instance, a situation where you were hurt by another. Your initial reaction may be to hurt them back, to verbally attack them, to walk away, or any other similar action. But, with some time and thought, you may be able to do what may have been initially unthinkable. You can respond with forgiveness.

Personally, I have been intrigued by forgiveness for quite a while (long before I made "A Way to Forgiveness"). I am fascinated by people's ability to forgive some incredible hurts. Many years ago, I read a story about a man who forgave his daughter's killer, visited that man in prison, and even ended up speaking on his behalf at his parole hearing.

Forgiveness was clearly was not a quick journey for that father, but it shows a response that is different than a reaction. I invite you to do the same.