At the moment, I'm charging batteries and getting my camera kit together - prepwork for tomorrow morning, when I'll head to Santa Fe to photograph ordinations for the Archdiocese's Vocations Office - one of my absolute favorite Masses, and one of my absolute favorite events to photograph. So, while batteries are charging and memory cards are clearing, I'm writing this blog post and sipping a nice glass of Malbec. Not a half bad way to spend Friday evening.
I got up this morning with the intention of going out for a run - I made it all the way outside, and as I was getting ready to close the garage door, I realized that something wasn't quite right. It smelled like a campfire. At 6:30 a.m. ... yeah, not a good sign. Clearly, the wind had pushed smoke from a wildfire over the ABQ area. So much for going for a run - I'd rather not breathe smoke!
That campfire-like smell brought memories flooding back with it... not memories of camping, but memories of last summer, when the ABQ metro was saturated with smoke from the massive Wallow fire in AZ, and later, the Las Conchas fire that devastated the Jemez. I found myself recalling all the days we spent in a smoky haze that made the sun appear bright red, just like it did tonight.
Even more, though, I recalled the events of last summer - packing and moving across the metro area, along with the entire process of buying another home. Seeing U2 play in Denver last May, and in St. Louis in July. Photographing a college friend's wedding in Colorado Springs. Summer school - I had to take two classes in order to graduate that December. Interviewing for a job in a different group at work. Finding a new parish after moving into our new home.
It was quite a summer, full of stress and happiness and frustration and more frustration and exhaustion, and well, yes, at some point, joy... because all the things that happened, in the high moments and the low moments (there were plenty of those, trust me), happened exactly the way they needed to - everything fell into place. To a large extent, I was too frustrated and spiritually drained to really perceive it at the time - but it's clear to me now that everything happened exactly as it should. I personally do not believe that is a testament to anything human, but I do believe it is a testament to the Divine. I don't believe in coincidence. And I am grateful. Grateful... because again, everything turned out exactly the way it needed to, and because I know that neither I nor any other human could have done it better.
Looking back on those months, it's even clearer to me that God's ways are above our ways, that his thoughts are beyond our thoughts. I'm glad they are.
And now, I'm going to get back to my cameras - turn up the U2 - and finish that glass of wine.
+Peace, and all good.
Because I just can't help myself... a pic from that amazing U2 show in Denver. ;-)
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