Look at the Shadows

The other day I was walking up the hill from my house, on my way to the park, when I saw an elderly woman standing on the corner taking a photograph. I looked around and really couldn’t guess what she was taking pictures of. As I passed her, she said, “I love taking pictures of shadows.” Sure enough I looked at the sidewalk across the street and there was a beautiful diagonal shadow, with a strong contrast of light and dark displayed across the dark grey. We chatted for a few minutes, as she shared with me that she had a collection of photographs of shadows that she had taken over the year.

Because of the gift of what this woman had awakened in me, during the rest of my morning walk I found myself noticing the shadows all around me–their shapes, sizes, volume, and density. I noticed how large shadows fell over grassy areas in the park, creating dramatic contrasts in light and dark. I reflected on the unique way shadows invite us to see, and how they tell the story of the way things co-create one another. A shadow only exists because of something else.

Look around at shadows today. Once you start looking, they are everywhere! What can you see in the shadows? Do you need to see something in yourself or in your life with that perspective?