I used to be almost religious about keeping my camera on my person at all times. For years! Then, it seems like it happened almost as fast as my life transition of recent. The battery ran down on the camera and I didn’t bother trying to find which box I’d packed the charger in.
Finally, I didn’t put the camera back in my purse.
Then, ever so slowly the habit of snapping a picture of something breathtaking (usually food) slowly faded out.
There was that inner voice that I have skillfully learned to tune out. The guilty whisper….”Hey, this might be something special! Why don’t you grab your camera?” I pretended not to hear.
Now I’m just mad at myself. I have been letting life's pictures pass me by. I should have taken a picture of that flaming cheese in the Greek restaurant last Sunday when we all shouted “OPA” in unison. Unfortunately it was just another afterthought.
I did have my camera with me a few weeks ago when I was walking through the kitchen and a young culinary student was working on these.
I couldn’t help myself. I moved in close and whispered reverently. Those are stunning! What are they made of? "Cracker dough", the student answered without looking up from his skillful maneuvering of the small very sharp knife. He was preparing for a national competition.
He left on a plane this morning with several other talented culinary students and I’ve been thinking about those kids off and on all day. I was so thankful that I had taken this picture to help seal those incredible cracker dough feathers in my mind.
I’m sending positive thoughts in the direction of those kids. And I’m packing my camera back into my purse.
Just as I was about to post this entry I received an email from a friend. The first line said, “A death certificate shows that we died…. Pictures show that we lived!”…
Sometimes timing is everything.
