“Beckoning”
“All of us have had the experience of a sudden joy that came when nothing in the world had forewarned us of its coming – a joy so thrilling that if it was born of misery we remembered even the misery with tenderness”
– Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
As I have worked on this latest series of images, it has become clear to me that I must be ‘in’ the forest, a participant in its life. To merely stand along the edges and gaze in, does not satisfy the need to immerse myself under the enchantment of its Green Veil. I need to be engulfed, to fully experience it.
By being in the forest, there is a ‘feel’, an energy, which is difficult to convey to someone who has not felt this life force personally. As I step onto the trails, even briefly, there is a rush of joy which is inexplicable. To be surrounded by such vibrancy is a blessing which I wish everyone could feel at some point. It’s a connectedness, a ‘oneness’ that is experienced within the woods.
So, as I close this series off, I chose this image. The image which beckons me to step in, or conversely, beckons me to return, as I look back on it on parting. In either case, it’s an invitation that I am glad for and which I will eagerly accept, the next time the forest beckons me.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/16.0, ISO 200
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Beautiful photo, beautiful words…
Thank you Roda. I wanted to close the series off and struggled with the words.
Your words were just beautiful. A perfect ending to the series!
‘Though these woods be
not snowy, venturing in
may yet leave ye
lost in the depths of Faery!
Trust not fae paths,
for they are twisty
and beset with perils!
Wonderful!
Thanks for the inspiring image!
Excellent photo and thank you for sharing your experience!
Thank you
🙂 🙂
I, too, am haunted daily by the call of the wonder woods.
I know now what is meant by a sailor being helpless against the call of the sea.
When I am in the woods, it’s as if nowhere else exists. Cares fall away.
I am surrounded by the vibrant life of the Earth itself, I feel part of it, and never alone.
Seek peace,
Paz
I know this feeling intimately.