21 December 2011

Meandering Through Life: Destination Anywhere

"It's a dangerous business, going out of your door. You step into the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to….” J.R.R. Tolkien


If you remain vigilant as you are swept along, you’ll encounter joy in even the smallest of scenes...


Fellow travelers for instance...


You might encounter mountains in whose shadows, a thousand generations have lived and died...


As you gaze upon these ancient roots of the world, it is entirely possible that shabby newcomers will interlope for a time, their light garish against the serenity of the scene...


At other times, your view remains unmarred; as if frozen in the very time that passes unnoticed to the mountain...


Hereabouts, you’ll encounter other sentinels, ancient to your momentary gaze, but mere infants in the eyes of the mountain...



Some of these lonely watchers wear their age more noticeably, but show kindness. They looked out upon this scene when your kind was but a whispered rumor and they’ll remain when all memory of you fades to nothing...



In endless cycles the ancient is content to share space with the new...



As you leave one scene to continue on down the road, you glimpse places in space and time that no amount of effort will bring you back to...


Bygone glory now intertwined with pursuits of the moment...


From time to time along your journey, you come upon the edge of the sea. And so, with no path before you, are forced to turn aside; to find other roads...



Roads strewn with color; beckoning you forward...



Roads where you encounter fellow travelers who came to this place by no road at all...



Sometimes, you encounter places where roads collide in their thousands; each one stretching out towards distant horizons, if only in your mind’s eye. Here, it is quite possible that you will tarry overly long ere resuming your physical wanderings...



But resume you will, meandering down roads which pass through places clearly marked...



Encountering the thoughtfulness of sojourners who came before you...



Distinguishing familiar patterns out of place, such as snowflakes masquerading as a flower to survive the season's heat...



Or a liquid whirlpool...



Suspended in wood amongst nearby trees...



You’ll encounter contradictions, such as a nearly abandoned street in the middle of what was meant to be a busy urban landscape...


Or sprouting green set against the frozen woods...



Down certain roads you’ll happen upon ancient paths, better left to ancient things with long forged aversions to your companionship...



In this moment of hesitation, perhaps you’ll notice the dying sun...



In the sudden stillness, you’ll hear the whispering wind through slumbering trees...



And you’ll see your road transformed to ghostly shadow by the moonlight’s embrace...



Without conscious thought you’ll find you have come full circle, back to the very doorway from which you set out some time ago. Amongst the familiar, content to know that the roads still wait, you’ll sink into a warm slumber. As you sleep, your latest journeys will be carefully woven into the tapestry of your dreams, layered upon and joined with all of those places your road has ever led you.


May the new year bring you wondrous and joyful new journeys my friends! Thank you for joining me in my own.

16 comments:

  1. Beautiful shots Paul, and some thought provoking quotes. All the best for the season.

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  2. Wow...amazing prose and pictures. I really enjoyed them. Thanks for the adventure..:)

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  3. There are some really awesome pictures here. Thanks for sharing them!

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  4. i felt like i was beside you on the journey, well done Paul and all the best for the travels to come.

    Cheers A

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  5. You have captured the essence of this place beautiful.. You gave it a feeling of reality...

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  6. Awesome article, loved the photos and story. I would love to have that little white house!! I am so drawn to those type houses.

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  7. Gorgeous photos and splendid narration. Thanks for sharing with us!
    Blessings!

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  8. Wow beautiful photos and words. Some of the area seemed eerily familiar. That was Portland I saw was it not? The thistle too was familiar to me. It appears I have traveled some of the same paths...Have a wonderful holiday and thank you for sharing.

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  9. Thank you one and all for your kind comments and support. I am glad that you enjoyed my little stroll.

    I took all of these photographs within 2 hours of my home in Portland, Oregon. The vast majority of them are within 20 minutes of my front doorstep... I feel fortunate to have so many great photographic opportunities.

    I Picked up a 55-300 telephoto lens today, so look for some up close and personal stuff to come...:) Thank you again for stopping by!

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  10. What a magnificent stroll that was. What struck me the most were these words:

    "where roads collide in their thousands; each one stretching out towards distant horizons, if only in your mind’s eye"

    That is a perfect description of books...each one a road, and a journey of its own. Wonderful post and photos. I look forward to more. Happy Holidays!

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  11. Thank you Cath... My love affair with books goes back to my earliest memories... Too many years to openly admit in public...:)

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  12. Well about time is all I can say. I knew that when you finally got off your butt and wrote something that it would fill up my very being and cause all sorts of emotions but never did I imagine that I would sit here and read it not once but 3 times without a single thought and all that there was is the resonance of your words as I read them and goosebumps as the sun set and the shadows rose before returning full circle.

    Pretty brilliant - welcome back.

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  13. Why thank you SJ! You can take full credit for motivating me to do this post. Our conversation last week reminded me how lucky and humbled I am to have support from you and the rest of our blogging community. I'm happy that you enjoyed my efforts!

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  14. Hello Paul.
    My first time visiting.
    Thank you for taking me on this mini journey...it was a real pleasure. Awesome photos & I liked the captions too!

    May your future journeys continue to be pleasant ones filled with much laughter, joy & of course love.
    Thanks for sharing.

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  15. Thank you and welcome Andy! I am honored you stopped by and happy that you enjoyed the post.

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  16. Thanks for taking me through a very wonderful journey! I remember many of the memorable travels I've had before. ;)

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