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A Little Bit of Sunshine
It is my belief that it is impossible to gaze upon a sunrise, and not feel hope and happiness. I invite you to join me for some pictures of my favorite sunrise pictures, and some of the inspiration they bring me.
Taken at Myrtle Beach, SC
I awake, check the clock. Great. Twenty minutes before sunrise. Enough time to get dressed, grab my camera, and walk to the shore.
I get to the beach. Ten minutes before scheduled sunrise. I close my eyes.
“Thank you God, for seeing me worthy to serve you another day. Forgive me of all my sins.”
I’m elated, for that brief second, I’m perfect in the eyes of God.
The gulls fly a ballet in formation. The horizon takes on a golden scarlet.
I pray. Sang a few verses of a praise song that are on my mind, in my heart.
The low hanging clouds become luminescent, awakened from the darkness.
I find myself anticipative, almost impatient. God has given me a new day, to either screw up, or do something special, for me, and others around me.
Then it happens.
The golden orb explodes from the horizon. I feel vibrant, excited to take on the world. I FEEL ALIVE!
I then say the words that I have greeted almost every sunrise with, for over 30 years.
Gee, it’s going to be a beautiful day!
Taken at Myrtle Beach, SC
O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Sunrises are like snow flakes, no two alike.
This morning is what I call a “Golden Sunrise”.
It has taken a dark void, and made it joyous, majestic.
I love the way it gilds the crest of the waves.
How can you look upon a sunrise such as this, and not feel hope for the day? Hope
for all your days to come.
Why would you ever want to not hope for all the tomorrows, why would you want to settle for despair, when God has given you a sign of hope?
As the rainbow is God’s covenant He will never end the world again with a flood,
I think His sunrise is his covenant that He will always give us hope.
Stop your thoughts of “ending it all”, stop your addictions that erases days and days of your life, stop your negative thoughts.
Promise me you will get up early tomorrow,
watch the sunrise,
and know that there is hope.
Taken at Fort Lauderdale, FL
I love to “frame” the main focus of my photographs. I had to run up and down the street in Fort Lauderdale, and finally had to stop in the middle of the road to get the perfect position for the palm trees to “frame” the sun. I only had a few seconds to get the shot though, because the sun would quickly be out of the frame.
Do you ever feel your life has been “framed”, and you are restricted to stay within the borders?
Be like a rising sun, full of beauty, but never staying in a fixed position.
Be alive, constantly seeking to experience new adventures.
My favorite speaker was the late Zig Ziglar. My favorite Zig quote was
If you’re green, you’re ingrown, but if you’re ripe, you’re a’rottenin.
So stay green, stay a’growin.
Taken at Key West, FL
Perceptions:
OK, I cheated on this one. It’s not a sunrise, it’s a sunset, but I had to include it because it is so unique. The picture was taken from Mallory Square, known to many as Sunset Point. “See you at Sunset” is a common expression in Key West, Florida. People gather hours before dusk to witness an eclectic collection of street performers, artisans, food vendors, and just fun people. It’s impossible to not be happy here. Key West is also interesting because due to it’s narrowness, from the same location you can watch the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean, and watch it set over the Gulf of Mexico. Also at Key West, you are closer to Cuba, than you are to the nearest Walmart.
My wife likes to joke about me getting up early to get pictures of the sunrise, when a photograph of the sunset looks the same. If I had not told you, you probably would have accepted that this was a sunrise.
Perceptions can be a dangerous thing.
Most of us think we are great in forming correct first impressions,
but are there people in our lives that we have blocked out
because of bad first impressions,
people that would help us be happier, and more hopeful individuals?
Taken from my home, Pulaski Co, VA
Do you have difficulty in seeing any happiness in this photo?
It was taken from my front porch, the temperature was about 25 F.
Do you only see the naked tree silhouetted against the bleak skyline.
Perhaps you only see the snow suffocating the last green autumn pasture.
Admittedly, it might be difficult to see much beauty in this.
But as with all sunrises, look at the potential it reveals.
As humans need sleep, trees need to shed the last year’s leaves to prepare for new growth.
The snow melts to add to the water table, preparing for the grass to come alive, and grow into thick, healthy pasture.
Sunrises are never the ending.
They are always the beginning
of something new and beautiful.
Taken in the Mediterranean Sea near Mykonos, Greece
There have been times that I’ve waited for thirty minutes or more before
I ever get to see the sun.
Sometimes we have difficulties in our life that makes us want to give up.
Do you think the workers on the fishing trawler wanted to give up because the sun was so slow in popping through the clouds? I doubt it. They had work to do, and they did it.
How often do we give up because we don’t have the “sunshine” in our life?
Remember, even if we don’t see it, the sun is there.
Never give up hope for a brighter tomorrow.
Taken from my front porch, Pulaski County, VA
This was a cold winter day.
Storm clouds were swept along on high gust.
The trees, stark, naked, limbs sagging from the weight of the storms,
are still standing proud, defiant, of the winds. Yielding, but not breaking.
Although the conditions were bad, I will always consider this as one of
my most beautiful photos.
Let’s commit ourselves that regardless
of the storms around us,
We will still see the beauty in the world.
Taken in Bermuda
I took this picture as our cruise ship was entering the harbor in St. George’s Town, Bermuda. I tried to get the perfect angle where the two ships were lined up in the “golden trail”. I then could have used one of my corny puns such as, “sailing into your golden years.” I never could get just the right angle though, and had to give up.
Sometimes we might be looking for a “golden trail”,
but can’t quite make it to it.
Don’t give up the journey though.
Keep your focus on the destination,
and follow which ever trail might take you there.
Taken in the Caribbean
I am not a patient man. Ask my wife. When you take a sunrise photograph at sea, almost always there is a cloud bank. Many people will wait for five minutes, and if the sun hasn’t popped through, they get impatient and leave.
I waited for about fifteen minutes to get this one. I’ve never been disappointed that I stayed.
How often do we miss out on the beauty of our world, by not being patient.
How often do we find ourselves filled with despair, because we were not patient with God answering our prayers.
God give us patience that
You will answer all our prayers,
and give us hope,
in your own time, and in your own way.
Taken in the Mediterranean
Sometimes we might go all morning without seeing the sun. But that doesn’t mean it’s not there, and it doesn’t mean we can’t see its presence. When we are about to give up, we’ll suddenly feel the sun’s warmth.
Do you ever feel that God isn’t there, just because you don’t see his presence?
He is. And He loves you. He will never leave, or forsake you.
He will take the despair that fills your life, and replace it with hope.
He will take the agony in your heart, and replace it with happiness.
I hope you have enjoyed A Little Bit of Sunshine. I will continue to add photos.
I am considering putting together a calendar next year of the sunrise photos and narrative.
They would sell for about $14.95 plus S & H. If you think you might be interested in one,
Email us at: HandH_Services@hotmail.com and we’ll notify you in November.
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