SuperForest

Be observant.

At the beginning of last summer I felt like I was at a crossroads. I had no commitments, an empty agenda, and a heart and mind craving something new, something exciting. I felt like I lived in this small little suburban bubble in Orange County, California, and it had nothing for me. I would tell myself, “One more year, and I’ll be somewhere new… somewhere like New York, somewhere like London, somewhere like Portland.” Somewhere besides sleepy little Cypress.

Lo and behold, I had the classic pre-senior year antsiness. Good thing I had Carla to talk to. I’m paraphrasing, of course, but in one of our conversations, she told me that any location is lackluster if you choose to view it that way. She was right. How was I supposed to enjoy the walk to school if I was so concentrated on my dislike for the imaginary borders I thought were constricting my aspirations and dreams? How am I supposed to enjoy tomorrow if I cannot enjoy today?

Short answer: you can’t. Today is all we’ve got. I am trying to appreciate the smallest things; to be grateful for all the Earth and humanity has to offer. For me it is the sun shining through the trees, or the man who looks up from his paperback to tell me a hearty and warm, “Morning!” on my way to school. It’s the foggy mornings, the rainy mornings, and the sunny mornings. For me it’s the infinite amount of books I want to gobble and the too-many-to-count films I’ve yet to gorge myself on. For me it is the idea that there are people out there to love. For me, it’s the simple idea that the world is a terribly exciting place and I’d like to stick around, if not for at least a few more decades to see what’s up. For me, it is you.

What is it for you? I’d like to hear it. If you can’t think of anything, maybe, like me, you’ve spent too long absorbed in your thoughts. Try meditating — while walking, never unconscious of a step, a movement. It’s so surprising how much an afternoon walk can invigorate the spirit. Go outside.

Be observant,

Chris

(image courtesy of DDOI)

Just because. If you’re still not familiar with the site, check it out by clicking on the picture.

With love,

Chris

Dear SuperForesters,

Let me tell you about an awesome photography site named Daily Dose of Imagery. Sam Javanrouh, the creator and photographer, posts one image every single day. He hasn’t missed a single day in the sites history (albeit a few guest posts during a week long period). I’ve been visiting DDOI (a handy acronym, all the hip kids are doing it [just kidding, you can do it too!]) for a little over a year now. And I’ve enjoyed every single photograph. They are inspiring, beautiful, and always invoke a feeling of awe.

Here’s today’s picture:

And here’s one of my favorites, from June 13th of last year.

It’s a strange thing. Every once and awhile I’ll flip through all of the pictures, no matter how many times I’ve seen them before. And even though they aren’t my creation, I remember what I was feeling the first time I saw them. I remember every one of them. I remember how they made me feel, what they made me think of, what stories popped into my head, what dreams they made me conjure up, and for that instant it isn’t about the photograph anymore. It’s about the art, the beauty of the world around us. Of course, the world can’t fit in a picture frame, but Daily Dose of Imagery offers a teensy slice of it. Enjoy and savor it. Make it yours.

I hope this finds you as well as it did me.

Love,

Chris