From the Creator: A quiet road leads me forward, thoughts lost in shadowy remoteness under glowing skies before dawn. The emerging light reveals the encompassing world and crowns it with brilliant hue. Sometimes spectacular, sometimes somber, this event is a paradoxical cycle, always repeating yet never the same. Observance of the sunrise eloquently whispers to the soul in a language transcending words, welcoming the new day of existence. But so often it passes me unnoticed.
What if events stripped the ability to see it? Blindness could set in. Or, a schedule may leave me committed to being indoors during this timeframe every day, as happened in the past. Misfortune lurks in the darkness. Everything can change without forewarning. All can be taken. This is the everlasting truth of impermanence.
Sensing its ephemeral nature, do I now see this sunrise with an increased vibrancy and significance? Above the empty pastures, clouds are radiant in russet and gold. I pause in veneration to witness the evolution of light. The beauty of the scene is a gift, not mine to hold or keep. A photograph captures the light, but not the experience. The road continues and I cannot be certain where it leads. I can only follow it with curiosity. And so, I learn to love the present moment and the course of fate that brings me here. Mindful gratitude bestows freedom, adding nobility to the act of living.
Rays of sunlight crest the horizon, warming my face and lighting my eyes. I turn to continue on this road, wherever it leads, on the path to tranquility.
About the Creator: Erik Hogan earned a bachelor’s degree in English in 1999 but after 9/11/2001 worked as a paramedic and later transitioned to a career in law enforcement. Though interested in art since his youth, an injury in 2019 led him to re-discover a passion for photography. Photography and creative writing are now the mission that drives him to explore the wild corners of this earth.
Find more of his work at Erik Hogan Photography, Instagram, and YouTube. Or Subscribe to Erik’s Substack, Field Notes: