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Ordinary Miracles

September 13, 2006

ph_sep_nun.jpg

Beautiful Woman ~ Canon 30d

Rejoicing in ordinary things[…] takes guts. Each time we drop our complaints and allow everyday good fortune to inspire us we enter the warrior’s world.
~ Pema Chodron

I think this woman's face is exquisite. She is old. She is hot. She is tired. And, she is beautiful. I imagine if I had captured her image on a different day when she had more energy, the lines forming criss-cross patterns under her eyes would reveal their true origin ~ deep, prolonged smiling. I'm drawn to ponder the path her life has taken... the tragedies and losses, and the great rejoicings whose histories are etched so elegantly along her face.

Her clothing and shaved head suggest to me she is a Buddhist nun ~ surely she knows something of awakening to the miracle of ordinary things. But today she is hot, tired and weary, so I'll pick up where she left off and focus my lens on the beautiful simplicity of her profile ~ rejoicing in the ordinary miracle sitting next to me.

Posted by vincent at September 13, 2006 08:00 AM