“Your Photo Here”

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Random Notes:  Took a field trip today, and like a little person, I did learn something…this will all seem so really random…maybe it’s because spring seems to finally be here, waking up everyone from the winter doldrums, and perhaps finally setting in motion the different themes and storylines for this year…

Met and talked with an elderly gentleman, a painter, the ink and brush variety, which was fitting with the cherry and plum trees in early bloom.  Made me think about my own path and my current place.  It was much like many situations back in school, when you realize the sheer gap in age and experience between student and teacher.  Some have been practicing their art longer than most of us have been alive.  Us young folk might be able to produce modern creations worthy of money or praise, but does it really amount to anything in the end?  I thought about young artists and photographers, the ones that have followers and understudies.  I can’t help but get discouraged when my work is compared to the endless sea of talent out there, as we all fish for the next gig to pay the bills or validate us as being good or relevant.  Even the masters at dojos get defeated when pitted against each other.  There are some that say competition in anything is pointless.  One good thing is that, say, the tree we are all trying to one up the next person on in terms of picture making and photo taking, when we set aside those motives, it can still be appreciated by simply seeing it.  Perhaps that’s the zen of all art.

On a somewhat related note, I also learned about a Native American (Cherokee) custom.  In the old days, when a young man was interested in a girl, he and his hand-carved wooden flute would stand outside the young lady’s home and play a song.  If she was interested in him she would come out and listen to his song.  If she had no feelings for the boy, she would stay inside.  No one got offended or lost face.  The young man, and all involved, would accept that the Creator deemed it wasn’t meant to be in the universe.  I like that.

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