I’ve been thinking about reflections, the theme of this week’s 52 Frames challenge. Part of me kept coming back to the more personal idea of reflecting on things, rather than seeing reflections in water or mirrors.
No one had this kind of 2020 in their plans, did we? Each of us had has to adapt to changing conditions and learn to live differently. If you’d asked me a year ago how many face masks I owned, I would have simply stared at you in confusion, not quite understanding the reason for the question. Ten months into 2020, I can answer it easily: four cloth masks and two boxes of disposable ones.
It’s not at all clear how the vast extent of changes in 2020 in will play out over time. It’s not just about remote working, video classrooms, or online grocery shopping. It’s about how we have already changed, individually and as a society of humans. It’s not at all clear what lies ahead of us.
So instead of submitting a pretty water reflection, I submitted this one. A small stream at low water and a boat ready to paddle should conditions change, it’s a visual metaphor for 2020. We’re experiencing a collective low tide right now, exposing divisions and fault lines in ourselves and others.
May we each reflect on where we are and how we’ve changed. Let us reflect on where we want to go, as individuals and together, as move into the uncertain future.
A rising tide lifts all boats.
John F. Kennedy
Love your visual metaphor…so perfect!
Very powerful to reflect on ones self during these strange times. I find I have been doing more of it as there are few people around me I can reflect with. Not sure that makes sense. Spending more time with my own thoughts because there is leas social time. I have been reflecting on how people are important to me. The fewer masses around me has made me value the few around me more.
Sadly you are correct, this year is full of personal reflections, change, sadness, even anger. I love your image. I think it’s perfect.
I like all the pics in this one, but I think you chose rightly. It is very like an impressionist painting!