Serenity is something that everyone searches for at one point or another.  It is that escape that we long for to put our minds at ease and to calm our frayed nerves.  It is the acceptance, the peace and the untroubled state that we seem to never be able to find in a world full of bells and whistles, beeps and horns, notices and reminders.  The faster and "smarter" our world becomes--the less peaceful and serene we feel.

Serenity is something that comes to us more as we slow down instead of speeding up.  

Taking the moments one at a time instead of in chunks enables us to cherish what is instead of missing what was or longing for what could have been.

I have learned though my journey to savor the moments and embrace the opportunities to experience the serenity that comes with breathing in slowly, deliberately and tasting life's breath as it passes   through my lips.

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Rain clouds and overcast skies have always carried with it a sense of foreboding to most people--that ominous feeling that they have that something bad is going to happen that fills them with anxiety.

I used to have a sense of anxiety when it came to rain clouds because of my experiences with Hurricane  Katrina (after all, being trapped in a hurricane-ravaged city for five days would leave anyone a bit anxious whenever it comes to thunderstorms :-) ). But as I have learned to look beyond my fear and anxiety and instead closely examine the clouds themselves and nature for what they have to offer and show me, I have learned that if you learn to look past your sense of foreboding, there is not only beauty but much more to be experienced--and discovered.

There are times when I am gripped by a sense of wanderlust and I travel through a series of stops though my day--searching for something,  yet expecting nothing, but always open to everything.

On those wandering days, if I allow myself to, I am able to free my mind and my imagination to take flight and soar above and away from whatever it is that is troubling me at the moment.  It is at this time that I am able to discover something new--a new perspective, a new way of thinking of something, a new sense of peace.  Wanderings are nature's way of allowing you to travel along paths--some that may be familiar and others that you have not discovered before--so that you can be open to new experiences and soar to new heights.

I've always had this fascination with sunsets. 
I would sit and stare at them over and over again--amazed at the dazzling array of colors and sparkles that appeared and disappeared in what seemed to be a dance that repeated itself day in and day out.

It seemed to me that sunsets were the perfect end to a day.  Because no matter what happened during that day--no matter what disappointments or ups and downs I may have faced--I could always look forward to the sunset as a perfect way to end my day.

Then one day I looked at the sunset and realized that what I'd always come to think of as being the "end" of the day (naturally because the sun was "setting" or leaving) was in fact a beginning--because it was an opportunity to wipe the slate clean of the day you'd just had and wrap you into a comforting nightfall of quiet darkness in order to prepare you for the new awakening that you were going to experience during the sunrise of the next day.

I took a series of these shots with my cellphone's camera and I was just amazed at the detail and how this is--and will always be for me--the perfect New Beginning.


(Throwback Cellphone Pictures)

There is both a simplicity and a complexity to be found in the clouds.
They can both hide and reveal much--if you only catch them at just the right moment.

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When we walk past things more often than not, we don't usually pay all that much attention to the details that comprise the essence of the object itself.  Sure, we see the generalities that make up what it is--size, shape, color, etc.--but do we really see it for what it is when we look at it?

Having a telephoto lense on a camera provides me with the luxury of being able to gain a closer view of items that I may not otherwise be able to achieve.  This not only provides an opportunity for me to appreciate the the beauty that is present within everyday things but it also enables me to notice details that I may have missed had I not taken the opportunity to look closer and harder at what was always there, right before me--hidden in the details.

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Because sometimes black and white is not all that simple...

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Taking pictures at night gives you a different perspective on things.  The play of light and shadow come together to create a dance that is completely different than what you typically find during the day. Add to that the effects of the camera and you have your own set ways of "seeing" that bring about another path on the journey that you may not have discovered before.

I like watching things at night.  I like observing the shadows and the interplay of light and darkness.  There is so much more there.  Just because it is dark doesn't mean there is nothing to see.

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When I first began to think about the notion of writing personally, and then actually sharing it publicly--I quickly dismissed it.  After all, I have my public forums for sharing my work professionally and I kept wondering in the back of my mind if I really  wanted to have my photos and thoughts actually  out there for people to see.  I mean, being a public person in the professional realm is one thing, but actually sharing a personal part of myself and my photos and deciding to do that is quite another.  Isn't it?

What tipped the scales in favor of me actually publishing this site and embarking on this journey were two things--1) a friend of mine saw one of my many photos of sunsets taken with my cellphone that I posted on Facebook on New Year's Eve 12/31/13 (below) and immediately asked me about starting my own photo-blog and publishing my photos because she would LOVE to subscribe to receive my pictures; and

(Image taken with cellphone 12/31/13)

2) I received the surprise of my life in the form of an early birthday gift  on 1/15/13 that I wasn't expecting, but one that would enable me to fuel the budding flames of passion for my photography hobby--a new Canon EOS Rebel T3i camera--complete with 3 lenses (EFS 18-55mm; EFS 55-250mm and EF 75-300mm)--that would provide me with the capability to capture the details that I was seeing along my journey and allow me to share them with you.  So thanks so much Earl (you absolutely ROCK!!!)--I truly appreciate the gift and dedicate my first foray into the world of photo-blogging to you. 

(Images taken with Canon EOS Rebel T3i 1/16/13. Click the images to enlarge.)