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The Unknown Destiny

We make plans for our lives based on our desires. When I was a young man I wanted to be fighter jet pilot. I read every book I could find on aircraft and when I was 12 I went to a summer camp at Patuxent River Naval Air test station where I got to eat lunch with the Blue Angels. I was allowed to set in the cockpit of an F-18 a full three days before the press got to see it. I knew that I was going to be the next Chuck Yeager. But I was wrong. I didn’t realize which set of tracks I was on. God had other plans for my life.

I didn’t choose the image above at random. You see, there are three sets of tracks.

One set is my plans for myself.

Another set for my plans others made for my life.

And another set for God’s plans for my life.

All three sets look as though they go to same destination but along the way there will be slight deviations that change the destiny.

Now, some will say that God robbed me of my desire to fly fighter jets. But remember, we don’t know exactly where that set of tracks ends. About the time that I would have achieved my goal America went to war. My vision for myself was to do high speed stunts for the air shows but for all I know I could have been shot down behind enemy lines. Or, I could have had stunt go wrong and crashed into a crowd.

I guess my point is that just because things don’t work out the way we imagined doesn’t mean our destiny was lost. I’ve been told that Albert Einstein said “God does not play dice with the universe.”. I agree. I believe that we have free choice but God knows what our choices will be and plans according to our choices to bring us to the place he wants us to be. I believe that along the way there will be multiple opportunities to switch tracks if we recognize them. And who knows? 50 ain’t so old. I still have a few adventures left in me. And, there’s miles of tracks ahead.

Crossing Over

Color Photography, Thoughts and Musing, West Virginia

There are many crossings in this world. Places where one leg of life’s journey ends and the next one begins. Human beings are a funny lot. We dream about moving forward into adventure but don’t want to leave the familiar behind. We can’t wait to graduate from school but spend the rest of our lives in nostalgia.

I occasionally pull out a playlist of music from the 80s and play the roll of a silly middle-aged man for my twenty something and thirty something coworkers. I recount the days and tell the stories of the times that formed who I am today. It’s entirely for entertainment purposes. The truth is that our glory days are ahead of us not behind us. We need to take the next step if we want to achieve our full potential. We need to trust the bridge and cross over into that new territory.

The image above was taken at Hawks Nest State Park in West Virginia.

Kimberly Tunnel #2

Color Photography

The last time I posted an image of the Kimberly Tunnel I wrote about how dark places in life could represent a shortcut to where you want go.

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Today I’m thinking about completing a journey. You see, the day I took these pictures I was behind schedule to complete other tasks for that day. I really didn’t have time to stop and get the pictures that I got. I could see that on the other side of the tunnel there’s an open area. The light that filtered in through the leaves, gave an almost mystical view to the end of the tunnel.

So far I have no clue what is on the other side. I plan to go back this spring when I can dedicate more time to explore. (A day when there’s no frozen goods in the back seat, thawing). But for now I’ll have to make do with a mystery to inspire my imagination.

Wanderlust

Color Photography, Uncategorized, West Virginia

My lifetime has been lived between mountains and rivers. One of the things I love most is that the hills and ridges always seem to have some secret just waiting for us to discover. I eventually found the time to head across the river and explore only to find more questions on the other side. There are days when I wish I could just load a good ATV up with supplies and see how far down the tracks I can go.

The mountains in the background were once occupied by the Adena. Our local history says that there was a huge wall that stretched for miles. I have daydreams about what the landscape would have been in those times. What were they keeping out? What were protecting? Surely a culture that built a huge stone wall would also have buildings. Is there abandoned temple hidden somewhere in the deep forests? The Adena had copper tools. Is there also a golden idol tucked away just waiting for Indiana Jones to find? Maybe and maybe not. But I would love to find out.

Taking A Coffee Break

Color Photography

The railroad bridge at Gauley Bridge, West Virginia is one of my favorite photo subjects. I stop there occasionally and raise my camera to get a feel for lines and angles. The petina of the rusted steel and texture of the vine covered masonery works well with the water and foliage. Just a few feet away the Gauley River joins with the New River to form the Kanawha River. The water here is clean. It’s a great place to fish, kayak or just sit back and watch the river. On this particular morning I stole back about 10 minutes from the daily grind to enjoy some coffee and watch the fog lift. Anytime we have the opportunity to take control over the clock and enjoy our own lives it’s a good day.