See the Beauty: Silence

“Silence is not the absence of something but the presence of everything . . . It is the presence of time, undisturbed. It can be felt within the chest. Silence nurtures our nature, our human nature, and lets us know who we are. Left with a more receptive mind and a more attuned ear, we become better listeners not only to nature but to each other.”

― Gordon Hempton, One Square Inch of Silence

After 10 years, I’ve found I’m a far better photographer when I use less of my eyes and more of my ears.

An odd statement, I’m sure, for a series called SEE THE BEAUTY, and yet very much the truth. When I’m attuned to things like the wind gliding through grasses, the animals speaking in the trees, or water polishing the rocks, all my senses come alive.

And as Gordon Hempton writes, it’s in this silence — in this presence of everything — that my vision clears from the clutter I brought with me to more fully absorb the scene around me.

So as you go out this week to see the beauty that surrounds you, consider how you might be able to open your eyes by first opening your ears.

. . .

Please enjoy this silent film of the snow that covered Colorado Springs this week.