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| More Reflections on Art and Life |
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by Jim Ulrich |
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Flow
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We are born alone, we die alone. We live most of our lives alone. Some embark on a frenetic,
never-ending search to connect with others, to escape being alone. I seek to find balance between being in
relationship with others and in relationship with myself, and to be at peace in both places. For me, taking pictures
is a solitary act. I rarely experience flow as much as I do when I am looking for and taking my next shot. And I feel fully alive
when I am being creative, although it is an intensely lonely experience.
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Possibilities
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Each encounter I have with another human being is filled with possibilities. Too often I make
the mistake of assuming I know how my friend will respond to my initiative, based on history. Holding out for something
new is a gift we can give others. Wipe the slate clean, declare your intent, and give your gift. Pray it is accepted
and pray you have the grace to keep on giving, to keep on believing in the possibility of something new, even if your gift
is denied. No gift is every really wasted. Each attempt to love, to create, helps us become all that we
can be.
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Scars
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A particularly ugly scar is one whose effects in the present still run against the grain of
personhood. Violence, trauma, abuse and even neglect disfigure the soul and mar the personality. What harm has happened
to me is irreversible, yet I need not see myself as a victim. I can let go of blame and choose to heal. Over time, my
life's intent and direction become unmistakable. Though the scar and its effects never go away, my loving purpose and the
contribution I am making permeate every fiber of my being.
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Friends
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The friends I value most are those who let me be me. They listen to my feelings and don't try
to change them, not even to "make me feel better." They accept me just as I am, warts and all. They open up their hearts
to tell me their story, make themselves vulnerable to me, and trust me to know what meaning their story has for me.
They don't try to solve my problems, but have confidence in me to make the right decisions for me. They dream with me
about who I could become, they marvel at the person I am becoming, but above all they celebrate who I am.
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| Shadows
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Visual variety is what makes many of my photographs interesting, and the lighting contrast
in this one gives the eye places to explore. A rotting log holds secrets in the shadows, in the recesses where sight
no longer penetrates. Some are deep, some shallow -- but all are hidden, even as is death itself. I trace the broken
lines, looking for a pattern to uplift, but my eye is drawn back in to the texture of the wood itself, whose shape is
defined by the tones of black that run around and through it. Patterns in life are like that: made richer by what we
do not understand and cannot control. Death, too, is a reality that makes the meaning of life more poignant.
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Work
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Pruning created the beauty I saw in this palm tree. I wonder whether the laborer who tended this
tree viewed his or her work as art. Rarely in my own job am I aware that one day others may look at the results of my
work and make judgments about its beauty. Even human systems can be appreciated for their efficiency and effectiveness,
just as pruning is an economic process. We remove dead parts or mend that which is dysfunctional in a timely manner in
order to optimize the productivity and life chances of the whole. Pruning is an art as well as a science. As I become more
aware of the artful choices inherent in my labors. I realize that an elegant design or solution taxes my creativity
and mindfulness. It also leaves a legacy that enriches others.
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| Colors
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Sometimes I catch myself judging others, labeling their behavior as either 'right' or 'wrong',
or classifying people as either superior or inferior to me in some respect. Yet such judgment always serves me poorly.
I do believe some choices in life are right and others wrong. Some decisions are easier than others, but in between are
many shades of gray -- choices that call for much wisdom, love, and ultimately humility. I am responsible for my
decisions, but it is not my job to assess the rightness of yours. Doing so always gets in the way of my accepting and
loving you. One action or choice in a friend's life is a drop of paint on their palette: by isolating and examining it,
I fail to see all the colors of their life. Having shared my own struggles with you, I trust you to make a better choice,
even if different from mine. |
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Rough Edges
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Sometimes in life people rub me the 'wrong' way (I think). In this photo, friction has stripped
away a covering to reveal more of what the tree is really like on the inside. In the process of laying bare a secret, raw
beauty is displayed. The jagged edges in my life -- whether produced by timeworn habits or recent wounds -- are part of
who I am. Those rough edges are an invitation to look deeper, to see the whole, to understand and accept others and
myself for the frail but unique and beautiful creatures we are. Only then can healing
begin |
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