 |
| The pinnacle of the night |
Freedom it seems is rather elusive. It really is when you think about it. I mean here and there I can free up some time or I can find freedom from the weight of the morning in a sip of some of this coffee. I mean things like that are all kind of freedom but really you have to do work to make that happen and it doesn't persist. So we end up kind of putting freedom on a scale of 1 to 10. Where we measure the amount of freedom we feel and we justify the things we do that allow us to reach more freedom. Looking at that, it doesn't seem to really be freedom at all just sort of a work for reward system. What if we were actually free? The other night I actually felt free. It wasn't because I did something to get to do something else. It was just freedom. Pure and simple.
The night of the 8th I was just getting into bed when I got a text from my mom telling me they were seeing northern lights. So after a little self deliberation I decided to head out to see what I could see. I got down to the lake and caught sight of the familiar glow of the aurora only they were mostly blotted out by the clouds.
 |
| First Test Shot |
Disappointing as it was, it was a really nice night and I figured I could stick it out for a little while and see what happens. Sure enough after a little wait the clouds cleared and it seemed like the activity of the aurora was starting to pick up. I moved to a better location and got set up. Pretty much just as the clouds had cleared the horizon the sky burst forth in glorious display of bright dancing lights.
 |
| The skies breaking loose |
It was some of the best motion I had seen in some time. It was an awe inspiring event as most sub-storms (the short periods of heightened brightness and motion of the Aurora) usually are. I spent time watching it and moving my camera around trying to get a couple different shots.
 |
| A Proton Arc decided to join the party by intersecting the Milky Way |
 |
| A close up of some the columns of light |
After awhile things went back down to a faint glow and I decided to change locations. I did that and caught a couple more pictures I was happy with and then the clouds started to move in so I tried just one more spot and shortly after the sky had been almost completely boxed in with clouds. At that point I packed up, went home, and went to bed. That was it. Sounds kind of boring I know.
You might not understand though how novel this all was to me. In the past I had been attempting to create a repertoire of likes and attention to my photography fan page in hopes of being able to sell some of my work. While that is still in the picture I have moved away from that being my focus. So when I do get to out now and shoot it is to relax. In the way that life has been going as of late I kind of just see myself putting down a lot of expectations I had for life and grabbing on to God more and more and in that I found so much freedom. I know what it is that pleases Him and that is all I am focused on. It was in watching those lights dance that I realized where I had gotten to. In the past the clouds would have frustrated me to no end and I probably been so upset I would have just gone and went to bed. For the first time in a long time I really just relax and enjoy the beauty of it and not be so focused on getting the perfect shot that I missed seeing the perfect shot.
