"Majoring in the Minors"

I only had a moment to swing up my camera and get one shot of my dog standing on point overlooking the terrain below.  The lighting was perfect, he was back lit by the setting sun, and he was still only for a second.

I snapped the shutter!

And my satisfaction immediately crumbled to dismay . . . . .  I realized I hadn't adjusted my camera back from the spot metering mode I had been using in a tricky lighting situation a few moments earlier.  With my first glance in the back of the camera I understood that I had completely overexposed my one chance at the shot. If I'd taken the time to check my settings first I'd have missed the shot altogether.

But, as usual, there was an insight to be gained.  When I saw the picture on the computer screen it was obvious that indeed the background highlights were blown out, but the dog himself was quite acceptably exposed.  It occurred to me that this is a great metaphor for moving forward in my life: I can keep my focus on my goal, act fast, not get sidetracked by details, and ultimately I may find those details, which seemed so necessary, will simply fade into the background.

I read some time ago many of us waste our lives by "majoring in the minors".   Today I learned in a small way that bypassing the minors isn't a bad thing at all.

Good Deeds and Gourmet Hot Chocolate

I was at my favorite cafe the other day catching up on an early morning coffee and bagel before moving on with my day.  As usual, it was quite quiet at that hour with only a few leisurely diners, so I had time to observe the interaction between one of the servers and a regular patron.

As the server was returning to the kitchen he beckoned her over and began telling her what a great job she was doing, and that every time he had been into the restaurant her service had been thoughtful and attentive.  He wanted to aknowledge her in some way.  This was genuine sounding, not a 'hit-on'.  The server told him he could call the number on the bottom of the receipt and make any comment he wanted.

I was smiling as I left the restaurant.  The man was holding the receipt in one hand and had his cell phone to his ear with the other as I walked out the door.  That server will now have a permanent positive comment on her work record.   It really doesn't take very much to make a difference in someone's life, but it doesn't stop there.  The patron was happy, as was the server, her manager, me and anyone else we came into contact with. You see, everyone benefits of our good feelings.  We can't possibly know what good a single, seemingly insignificant act can do. Now that's better than a gourmet hot chocolate!

A Small Adjustment Makes All the Difference

It's been quite a while since I've posted here and it's not because the World has finished with me, and it's not because my lens has been quietly packed away in a box somewhere.  My life seems to have been on fast forward all year and I've finally slowed down enough to breathe and to notice.  Notice the subtle messages from the universe around me.

Once again I'm adjusting to a new home, my sixth home this year and I'm trusting it will be my last for a while.  This is a beautiful home with lots of wild desert landscaping all around and plenty of hiking trails for me and my dogs.  The one drawback of this paradise is that there is also a lot of cactus, which has been playing havoc with the dogs' paws.  It was getting to the point that our walks were becoming quite restricted and our enthusiasm was waning.  One of the dogs in particular was having a hard time.  The brave little fellow is blind so avoiding the stickers was even more of a challenge for the both of us.  He got to the point he was shuffling along with his nose to the ground like an old man.

I remembered I had bought him some boots a few years ago and, miraculously, was able to find them again.  What a difference!!  This afternoon he flew down the trail with a spring in his step and all the confidence in the world.  Success.

Isn't it interesting how, even when I know I'm on the right track with this latest move, life still seemed to be a bit of a struggle, but with just a little lateral thinking and a small adjustment I can make a huge leap forward.  That is what the message the World presented me thru my Lens today.  I'm sure there are a few more minor re-directions I can make to other areas of my life, too.

One happy dog.

Fuzzy has always been my ATV dog.  A go anywhere kinda guy.

These boots were made for walking,

And that's just what I've done.

Now I'm gonna take a nap

Right here in the sun!

 Special thanks to Ruffwear for these great quality dog boots.  I'm linking this to the Theme Thursday blog.  The theme this week is gadgets and I think these boots qualify.