Are You Down?

I'll get straight to the point - my 35th NEW was going to the Franconia Sculpture Park last weekend.

It was another activity I've wanted to do a long time. I've always seen it from the road, but when we're out that way it's for a specific reason, so we've never stopped. 

In short, it's pretty neat! And way bigger than you'd think, just by looking from the road.

There are lots of nooks and crannies to look in to find treats for the eyes.

I'll admit - some of the sculptures looked a bit like something that I, myself, could have made.... It's possible that I don't always understand the artistic, but most of it was pretty cool.

Pretty sure I even got my 10,000 steps in over the course of the day.

I had lots of favorites, such as this giant fish.

But then this one was my favorite: "Constructed memory."

 But then....  this one was my favorite.

It stayed my favorite.

 It captivated me from first glimpse. It's titled, "Are You Down?"

It was created in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen of WWII, portraying three downed airmen who knew the exhilaration of flight, along with the agony of dreams that have crashed to the earth.

I had a hard time choosing my photographer's option photo this month - I mean, I knew it would be this sculpture as soon as I saw it, but I didn't know how to choose. The full photo shows the context better, but the faces just completely captured me - and the hands.... the hands still upturned in the midst of agony spoke depths to me.

So beautiful.

Can being so far down possibly be beautiful?  Is ugliness and agony redeemable?

I believe the answer is yes. I fear the answer is no. Then again, I'm probably not the right person to ask.

Week 22 of Photo 52: Photographer's Option

Tomorrow I'll be doing my NEW number 36... if I don't chicken out, that is. I started to feel worried on Wednesday. This afternoon I started to feel panicky - very panicky. I want to chicken out. If things can't be as I wish, why can't they at least be easy and comfortably numb? I just long for easy and comfortably numb. But we're not here for easy and comfortably numb. Yes, I'm terrified of my new number 36 - and when you see what it is, you'll want to reflect on how ridiculous I am to let such a thing terrify me so.

Oh - the depth of this longing forever unfulfilled.

People like to say that time heals all wounds.While true of some wounds, frankly, I've always thought that was malarkey - at least this side of Heaven it is.

"But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'”

 (2 Corinthians 12:9)