THE QATSPY® Quapaw Aviation Tactical Sportswear Performance Yukon Outfitter Company, An Authorized Dealer & Distributor for US WINGS®
By: Charles W. Boatright
Taking the Time to Determine the Simple Priority of Life– Take the Time to Enjoy Those Simple Enjoyments of Life that are on Life’s Journey
I enjoy taking hikes with my dog around our farm, even in the coldest of days to enjoy what nature can unfold on our expeditions, along the twist and turns of the gravel roads on our farm. I find that not only are the sights different during the Holidays Seasons; but the sounds seem to be sharper and more vivid.
Part of our exercise routine that I do with my friend is enjoy those hikes we take on my farm; and on special occasions, coming across a deer or even an elk. The snow helps to quiet your steps with the crunching of the snow beneath your boots. You will be surprised at what you’ll see if you take the time to look around as a photographer does, even in the cold grip of winter time.
On some occasions, I take along my thermos of coffee and my camera if we are going on long hikes. I find that walks we take help me clear my mind and help me reprioritize my day. Do I wish for the days of yesterdays or hope for the days of tomorrows? I do, only in how I can change or alter my life today.
My Christmas Message to All My Friends
I learn that very little can be done to reshape my yesterdays or predetermine my tomorrows; but only to learn from my past to make the most of my today that will not be lived in regrets tomorrow of what I didn’t do today. What makes me do this is that I had a dear friend, a high school buddy where we both joined the U.S. Army our Senior Year in high school, that was killed in action in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993.
He can’t live out his life, nor can I live those days over again that we had; but one thing I can do is to do the most with what I have, to live out each day that I have to the fullest extent and not take anything for granted, especially the precious life we have now. What we have today might not be there tomorrow.
Roman 14:4 states- That no person lives to themselves or die to themselves. We have an impact on other people’s lives that they and we might take for granted or not be aware of. When we take the time, the common things in life aren’t so common, but are things we hold more dear that make our lives better. As we learn in life, we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow. That life is like the mist that rises from just off the surface of a pond on those cold mornings and then that fades into the air. My grandfather refers to this mist as the breath of God.
Photography is one of my passions and professions that I did as a Grid Engineer performing aerial patrols with a utility for over 33-years. Even after I retired, I still enjoy taking photographs now for our sportswear & performance business of models wearing our sports appeal. What is special about photography is that it gives any person a different perspective on life around them. You pay closer attention to the small details like lighting and angles.
Even after the shutter has long closed and I’ve stored my camera away, I look with anticipation at what might have been captured in those brief seconds of the shutter speed that is like capturing light in a bottle. One thing I have learned during my photoshoots is that it takes an entire article just to describe one photograph of a model, a setting, or a rare condition that was captured.
It is really true that a photograph is worth a thousand words that does more than generate a thought; but real emotion that words can’t capture nor describe. What I enjoy more than taking photographs is studying settings, angles, and the lighting where our photoshoots are to be made. You discover that you can train your eye to look for those small details in a setting as you will in life.
My hope for all my friends this Holidays Season is that you can develop a photographer’s eye and see the wonders of life that are all around you each and every day of your life. Even as simple as drinking a cup of coffee with a close friend and watching snow fall to the ground.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOURS!
