Blasts from past

Here I am on sabbatical, immersed in indecision - otherwise known as discerning what's next and where in my life - when what to my wondering eyes should appear but blasts from the past. One of my sabbatical goals is to concentrate on photography. I have taken hundreds of images with my digital camera since I arrived at this "cottage oasis in the city" - most just in the fascinating gardens and enchanting neighborhood surrounding the cottage, and some, of course, of my new grandchild. But I also brought along a large box of slides and some B & W negatives to scan into the computer (and to learn to use a new scanner). Most of what I brought with me were taken in the last few years - a trip to Scotland, a great-aunt's 100th birthday party, mom's 80th birthday celebration, excursions near my home in Wisconsin to Door County, Milwaukee Art Museum, a Rural retreat.
One set of slides is a visual sermon created to illustrate a poem by Madeleine L'Engle who vividly describes the reaction of Bartimaeus upon regaining his sight (see Mark 10:46-52 for Bible story and "Cry Like a Bell" for L'Engle's collection of poems related to Scripture). The slideshow was originally created for a class in seminary, and then revised and expanded for use as a sermon when I was pastoring. I also used it in workshops and retreats relating image and spirituality.
All that I knew when I was scanning the slides. As I was importing and editing the images, I realized I was dealing with blasts from as far back as 30 some years in the past - my daughter as a toddler, my son as a lively towhead, scenes from PA, Idaho, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois. If the images were only scenery, they wouldn't be blasts from the past. (My intention is to post several on my Flickr page - after another tutorial from my daughter.)
As I encounter each image, I come face to face with memories - of where I was, who was there, why I was there, what else was going on in my life and the world at the time.
Yet, with the distance of time passed also comes discernment and appreciation for many of the photographs as good - effective and distinctive - images, impressive even. Which brings me back to the sabbatical work of discerning future paths: what's the best stewardship of my gifts, this gift? What's the best stewardship of these images and the hundreds - thousands! - more accumulated over the decades and last few days and weeks? How much time and energy do I invest in scanning and editing? Then what? What will pay the bills?
What? Where? When? How? ...more possibilities, more questions ... now about those answers....

Finally getting around to it

So I've had this blog for over a year, but didn't get beyond set up to actually posting. Helps now to have time for learning and experimenting with new software and technology, practicing the skills enough to remember how to do things, and having access to a personal tutor - in this case my daughter.
Once again our lives are following parallel paths. We even shared a graduation day with commencements just a few hours apart but one in Chicago and one in Louisville. We moved two weeks apart - they left for Seattle from Wisconsin just before I moved to Wisconsin. We shared flats for a week each in Dublin and Antibes. Right now we are both taking leave from work - she on maternity leave and me on sabbatical. Both of which have brought me to Seattle: a major part of my sabbatical experience is being grandmother and mother which amounts to being part babysitter/cook/housekeeper, part tutor or mentor in the mystery tour called parenting, part girl friend, part creative collaborator. So, both student and teacher in the journey of life.
Now, back to traveling ....