Paths like this crisscross the sand dunes that lie in close proximity to Lake Michigan, the area I call home; the place I’ve spent so many hours traversing both as a child and an adult.
I love this picture, from June 2008, for two multifaceted reasons. First, I love the geographical composition. The clouds, the sky, the sand, the grass, the lake, the shadows, all blending in a beautiful harmony but each element commanding its own unique attention. But then, secondly, I love the emotional, transcendent elements.
I could remain in that exact spot and ponder the physical elements of color, texture, the breeze blowing off the lake, the lengthening shadows, the feeling of the warm sand squishing between my toes. And yet, there is the sense of adventure and discovery as I consider what the next few steps to the top will reveal. What beauty? What color? What will the larger view of the lake, and perhaps beyond, reveal to me?
For me, it is like a picture of life. Embracing the moments, but reveling in the hope and expectation of the goodness of what lies ahead.