Sunday Morning Reflections - The Fun of it All

It's hardly a typical Sunday morning. We drove down to Naples, Florida to spend the weekend with friends and spend some time in a house right on the beach. As much time as I've spent on the water, I've never actually been in somebody's home that opens to the ocean.

The last couple of days have been ponder-time at its very best, which is what being by the water has always done for me. Some of you like a walk in the woods; some of you just like a long quiet drive; others have a big over-stuffed chair that's your retreat. For me, it's simply by the ocean. One day by the water is the equivalent of 2-3 days down time, it's that therapeutic.

Over the last couple days, I started fooling around with the LUMIX cameras I brought...just for the fun of it. It started with a spectacular sunset, and while I know it takes virtually no skill to take a great sunset shot, I found myself experimenting with all the enthusiasm of a kid with a new toy.

I'm always preaching to you guys to do something different, experiment with your camera and get to know every aspect of the technology in your hands. I rarely practice what I preach, but remember, I'm not the working photographer here, you are.

The sunset kept changing, including some strong vertical lines, as God put on his light show prior to July 4th. That got me thinking about shooting a vertical of the scene as a mother, and her two kids walked up the beach.

My expertise and first love in photography is the business and marketing of it all, but I'll match my passion and respect for the craft against anybody. The luxury that I had just to take the time and play, without any firm intent of the results is what made it pure entertainment.

As I played with the camera and saw the constantly changing results, it gave me time to ponder other projects I'm working on. I found myself thinking about things in my personal life. I spent time thinking about friendships like the ones that brought us here. Then, with all the humor and triteness of Monty Python's Meaning of Life, it was all just for the fun of it.

However, at the core of so many things we do, it starts with great friendships. Our good buddy Andy, who invited us down in the first place and Sheila's life-long friend "Beaner" gave us an amazing couple of days. Friends don't have to see each other all the time to be top-shelf - it's the quality of the experiences you share that build on the relationship.

Most important of all, everything we do doesn't have to have any deep, poignant meaning...sometimes it's just enough to appreciate the fun of it all.

Wishing everybody a wonderful Sunday and wrap up to the July 4th weekend. Hug your family, cherish them and your friends and don't forget to make hugs last for eleven seconds!

---