The Beauty of Light and Shadow

This is the lampshade on my home office desk in Eugene. I took a photo of it because of how the many lines, shapes, and shadows created an image that was both serene and energetic. The low angle of morning light made for an interesting interplay between the horizontal shades, the curved shadows of the shades off to the left of the frame, and the shadows and earthy spiral of the lamp. A mysterious glow peeking through the blinds in the upper left corner provide a nice counter-point.

As I think about this moment, I'm once again reminded of the omnipresence of beauty in our lives - how so many moments in our day offer a moment of stillness and joy as we re-awaken again to the splendor of the world we live in. And the frame of a camera enables us to see what's actually there, simply by putting a frame around it.

If you are moved by this image, I encourage you to explore your daily life with your own cellphone camera. Put a frame around the small scenes in your world, and discover what's there that you might have been overlooking. It's the same with light - if you have light coming in the windows, explore making images of the light and shadows of your world. Notice how pausing and framing a bit of the world's art can calm your mind and nourish your heart.