Alone With God

Rouge Beach looks abandoned in most winter days.

   Breaking a promise is not a good thing. Yet, last Friday, I did just that--without remorse or guilt. Truly, my action did not bother me. Not one bit!  How could I be so callous?

   The truth of the matter is, I was only postponing the promise I made to myself. Three days earlier, I said I would clean up the clutter in my basement man-cave. The chore is long overdue, but the blue sky outside told me otherwise. It was the perfect day to shoot winter scenes at the Rouge. It was also -6 Celsius out there by the river, not to mention the wind-chill coming from the lake. So, I donned my furry Russian hat, Arctic boots and snow suit  With my backpack, I looked like a soldier on a mission, ready to shoot!

In the midst of its serenity, not a single soul in sight.

  

The Rouge River was frozen. The snow was like an oversized carpet, matching the white clouds above. Except for the beautiful blue sky that accentuated the horizon, the landscape could have been in perfect sepia. The place was beautiful, and in the midst of its serenity, I was alone -- not a single soul in sight. The usual quacks from Canada geese were missing in the air and the flying seagulls were nowhere to be seen. The Rouge seemed like it was reserved only for me and my photography.

The cat-tails  seem to be posing for the shot.

   
  The  wind  was also  surprisingly  in  full  cooperation.  It  redirected  itself elsewhere, so the cat-tails wouldn't sway, making them appear like they were posed for the shots. The stillness of  the surroundings  made me see and hear clearly. Then it occurred to me that I was not completely alone. 
Like in a prayer -- I was alone with God!

The icicles look  like ornaments hanging on a princess ears.

    At the Rouge, I was like a student having a one-on-one learning session with the headmaster. God was leading me to the rarely seen face of winter and showing me the season’s underlying beauty.  Patches of ice on the ground glittered like diamonds. The icicles were like ornaments hanging on a princess ears. The snow looked like clouds on the ground. Winter certainly opened my eyes!  My appreciation for the warmth of my coat and the comfort of home had grown deeper. The lifeless ground made me look forward to the green grass, resurrected only by the coming of spring.

The rarely seen face of winter and its underlying beauty

The two-hour solitude at the Rouge was more than photography. It was a spiritual journey; a time to open up; a time to connect; a time to listen and the time to count the blessings.