From my window, I’m privileged to have a great view of that sentinel that guards our Valley, Mt. Baker. If you’re in the Fraser Valley, you already have an image in your head of what I’m referring to.
Or do you? If the image is so clear, why am I prompted, repeatedly, to take photos of that mountain? I must have dozens of them, all different.
It’s because, although the outline of the mountain never changes, save for a slight addition or subtraction of snow from season to season, the context of that outline is constantly changing. One time there is a glorious sunrise over the mountain, the next there’s an interesting cloud formation. One time the mountain pokes its powerful massif over a bank of fog, the next it caps a gorgeous valley sunset.
I’m told there is a semi-professional photographer in our community that has a large photo album wholly devoted to images of Mt. Baker. Each tells a different story.
It reminds me of life. My life. Your life. Are we different from one day or one month to the next? Not that much! But, do our circumstances and context change much from one day to the next? While that may vary from one individual to the next, most will agree there is probably more variability in our circumstances than in our being.
How do we react to the changing circumstances of life? Does the context cause gyrations in our lives, or do we stand strong regardless of the vicissitudes of life?
Okay, the analogy is not a perfect one. The mountain, resplendent as it might be, is inanimate. It does not have emotions, personality, inner character.
Analogies never are perfect. They’re only intended to make one point. Sure, I should change, grow, strengthen my character. Unlike the mountain, I should not remain stagnant, impervious to what’s going on around me.
But the one point I take away is that, regardless of the circumstances of my day, I should remain strong. I should be confident in myself. If I need to reflect the radiance of a sunrise to brighten someone else’s day, I will be that. If I need to stand back and merely be a complement within an already blissful setting, or if I need to rise powerfully above the haze of life, I will commit to that.
So, when I look out at Baker, whether at daybreak, dusk, or in between, (as long as it’s not raining) the image can give me inspiration to stand strong in the present.
I think the notion is broadly applicable. Your image in life may not be Mt. Baker. It might be a setting (I’m a landscape kind of guy), an event in your memory, or even a person. But, I think an image that is regularly present in one’s life can serve as a sentinel (or an anchor, if you like that metaphor better), to influence our reactions to life, to make our day great, and to make us better people!
Rent 2 Own tip
The market is starting to turn around in the Fraser Valley, with fairly brisk housing sales being reported so far this year. We have already seen a small jump in prices; is it the start of trend? With interest rates having recently taken a drop, now may be a better time than ever to consider transitioning to home ownership. Or getting back there, if you were a homeowner who got taken in the downturn of the last six years. The process starts with a simple, no-obligation application form on our web site.
Quote of the week:
Honour the past; Release it! Live the present; Embrace it! Create the future; Ignite it! – Bonnie Luke
