Stop Trying and Just LIVE!
Two Life Lessons from The Sunset over Orlando in Photography
Sunset Over Lake Eola in Orlando
It’s funny. After weeks and weeks of driving at 4am to head to downtown Orlando for some sunrise photography, I am presented with, while not expecting it, one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen in my life.
And it just so happened I had the Mavic Air 2s drone with me providing me with the spectacular opportunity to photograph this epic site.
There are a few metaphors for life in this event, this situation, this opportunity and I wanted to share them with you (along with sharing the epic Panorama photographs I took along the way).
In alignment with the book The Subtle Art of Not giving a F*ck, when we stop trying and just live, our circumstances can alter.
Trying, trying, trying, has led me nowhere. Yes, we must remain persistent and consistent. However, it can be noted that trying too hard will most often result in failure. This…sadly, defines my whole life. Honestly.
Very little I have ever hoped for has come to pass. I have been double crossed, abandoned, left to fend for myself, hurt, lied to, cheated, and just plain taken advantage of. All from trying too damn hard to get what I think I want. I am 53 years old and nowhere near where, in my mind, I thought I would want to be.
As if The Lord is saying “ Watch what I can Do”.
I have been trying and striving too much. Far too much. Nothing has turned out like I wanted or envisioned. Literally…nothing has. The only thing I can point to of which I feel some level of fulfillment from is rearing 4 children who will, should they continue to choose right, make great gains in life. Thank God for Promise Keepers in 1995 showing me the lunacy and track on which my family operated being so very backwards to His ultimate plan for my life.
So, this situation defines my life. In all of my trying, walking, hoping, I could never, ever have dreamed I would see and be able to photograph such stellar beauty.
Second metaphor.
I have learned that shortly before and shortly after a “storm” the skies will, with almost an utmost guarantee give us, as photographer beauty beyond words.
This certainly showed itself to be of the truth Friday night this week past.
We were slated to receive a hammering of weather from a tropical storm. Early by Florida standards, for sure. But coming never the less.
The storm was supposed to arrive on Saturday afternoon. This would mean the potential for beautiful skies on Friday and then again on Sunday and Monday.
Isn’t this life?
God, in his infinite wisdom and care for us allows storms. Divorce, Bankruptcy, Poverty, Death, Disease, Loss. He won’t shield us from these “storms”. However, there can be and most likely will be beauty, perhaps even as book ends, to these storms of life. Almost as if he shows us such beauty before to take our minds off what’s to come and then after equal beauty as if to say, “It’s all going to be okay”.
As a photographer, someone with experience in the “wild” and the excitement the weather can provide, I know and have experienced this truth over and over again.
If a storm is coming, there will be beauty before AND after almost every time guaranteed.
I so appreciate the ways of heaven.
In this scenario, I was taken aback by the unbelievable beauty the skies would ultimately provide pre storm
The great part of it is…. I was surprised by it. Still, after all these years, while walking the lakeshore of Lake Eola in Orlando with my beautiful friend and wife, Joelle, I was amazed at the skies as they unfolded before us.
At dinner, the Italian Princess and I sat and enjoyed each others company over a pizza at one of our supremely favorite places, Anthon’s Pizza in Thornton Park. This, being just a stones throw from Lake Eola, one of my favorite places to photograph the city sky over Orlando.
Simply Unbelievable as the Sun Goes Down
I never, and I mean NEVER would have been able to anticipate what was to come.
And like so many other times in my travels and adventures across this great land we call home, I was blown away by the master Creators hand in painting the sky.
I swear, He knows me and knows what excites me and this sky…was so amazing.
I was in my element. Who would have thought such beauty could come from man made structures against the backdrop of His sunset.
Bob Ross would envy me were he to be walking with me and the Italian Princess on Friday night along Lake Eola in Downtown Orlando.
Thanks for letting me share my thoughts and my photos with you.
Until the next time,
rob out
