Some days I like to drive. Don’t get me wrong I hate it sometimes, the other day I drove to Providence twice with the kids, and sometimes they don’t stop asking questions, and when I answer the question they say, “What?” “What did you say? I can’t hear you.” Then they ask the same question again and again. Its kind of cute how curious they are, and I do often have the patience, but some days I just want quiet.
When my kids fall asleep in the car, I could drive to Timbuktu. I get lost on these windy roads in the woods. It’s fun because I never knew these gorgeous places existed so close to my home. I always wish I could stop and take pictures but I feel like its awkward and I don’t want to wake up the kids, I feel like if I brake sometimes or make a turn, they are up. So my solution is to roll down my window and snap shots as I drive by… The pictures never really come out great.
I didn’t think much of my photos from my drive yesterday. I scrolled through them and just thought I got nothing. I also think, its not easy to take a photo while driving and actually compose the shot and do all the things I like to do when I take a picture. So looking at these pictures all of those thoughts come before actually seeing the picture and accepting it for what it is, imperfect.
But as I started to look at the pictures this morning again and edit them I started to see beauty. I had four pictures of gates. I started to think about gates, and how many times in my life I have felt like everything was closing in on me. Like I was locked up and empty. Like I was stuck in a place just desperate to be free.
Gates and fences keep things contained. Closed off. Stuck. Its easy to get stuck. Maybe right now you have a fence around you. You are confined to the things you have to do. You're hoping that the gate be opened and you be free, maybe free from the chains that are dragging you down.
I want you to know, you might be fenced in, but nothing can contain your spirit. Nothing can keep you hidden. You might have to do a lot of things you don’t enjoy doing right now, or maybe you are going through hard times, struggling everyday to survive. But there is light in those small moments in your day. Nothing can take them away. You can see the beauty if you choose to look for it.
So open your eyes. See. You can’t break free from the cage if your not looking for the light.
Be bold and fearless.