| — | Henri Cartier-Bresson |
The downside of a creative, freelance business. Struggling between agony and fun, while fighting off procrastination that merely masks the tension.
Stunning use of technology and media—old and new—to tell a hidden story. A remarkable work of documentary truth and beauty created and found amid chaos of life in a part of the world we don’t know or understand. This is the future of documentary photography. Powerful.
What profit in confronting,
Staring face-to-face Intent?
Be suddenly surprised—yet grateful,
Angry and afraid?
In days gone by intent only on the dodge;
And…then slips away the mask.
Unplanned but known; first sought then found;
Here and Real and Now.
Amid hopes to strive, though ceded long before
Artful intentions pave a path leading
Anywhere but home.
Once given to adventure, fearless;
Burnished in the youth of moment,
Never to pause and give breath to a feint,
Only then to stumble in place.
So hear the sirens call and believe you choose your fate—
Struggle and give in or not;
Now it’s almost too late.
As if to breathe is Life.
For strength of will forgets a grace
That makes the truth be real.
| — |
David Day 3 Poem, Odyssey of Intent |
So tie me to the mast of this old ship and point me home.
Before I lose the one I love, before my chance is gone.
Lyrics from Ulysses — Josh Garrels
Go to Day 3 Poem: Odyssey of Intent
Living Intentionally
I’ve watched Lisa and she’s intent. I can see the wheels turning. She’s been at the computer, and back, throughout the day. Actively wondering what it would really look like, what it would mean to live with intention. Capital “I” intention.
And I can tell she’s trying. Reaching out for the pinata and swinging, unsure of just where or how hard to swing, yet eager and fully engaged in the fun. At this early stage we’re mildly cheering alongside her, ready to laugh, but wanting her to connect squarely. Which I’m sure she will. And can’t wait for the candy to spill out all over for her—and us—to enjoy.
The wonderful thing about living intentionally is the expectation that comes along with it. Expectation of things to come. It’s not just waiting for things to happen. It’s so easy to get into the “swing” of things and become passive and merely react. The ruts we so often default to are haphazard, unreliable and not nearly as formidable as they appear when you can’t see past them, through them or over them. But simply start to engage life with Intent and barriers fall left and right.
Living intentionally demands, and rewards, closer engagement. Like travel abroad. Suddenly the mundane becomes anything but the commonplace that we’ve taken for granted for…well…ever. The ordinary becomes new and different. So we can step up and swing, expecting to miss. Unafraid to try, because we have to. And we want to.
The Day 2 Takeaway
Just accepting the challenge to live intentionally is challenging at the core. I read a great post on this where a pilot equates this with Situational Awareness. That’s a term I connect with. Being aware enough to constantly take stock of where I am, what I’m doing. Does this matter? Or is the oil pressure dropping and have I lost sight of the horizon? I need to pull up before the alarms go off and jar me into action. When I’m situationally aware I’m not caught off-guard or lulled into dangerous complacency.
I think we’re all going to like where this takes us.
And me? Well, I’ve met my challenge. I’ve posted again today.
Day 3: Ulysses, from Josh Garrels “Love & War & the Sea Between.
Day 3: Odyssey of Intent (Poem)
