Be Not Afraid

It’s been awhile since I last wrote something on this blog. I should have something profound to say at this point, but I do not. Been fighting a handful of infections, toss in a virus or two and I become a very boring dinner companion.

Time off was going to be a time of long walks (I did get of few in), studying yoga with a teacher and writing about “Faith & Creativity” while sitting in random coffeehouses around Pittsburgh.

The good news is that I was asked to speak at a Health Fair this July on the topic of “ Faith & Creativity”. How ironic that the offer came at my most un-healthiest? Must be a message in there somewhere. Did I use ironic correctly? While on grammar I use the words “ have been” too much in my writing. I need a better phrase of words. If you have suggestions e-mail me.

The one thing that I do wish to leave you with is the quote: “Be not afraid”. Pope John Paul II wrote a book on this topic: “Crossing the Threshold of Hope” where throughout the book his one running theme is “Be not afraid”. It was one of the those books that spoke to me. It gave me ideas and dreams that I still carry. The book is written in a universal-Catholic (as meant by the Greek phrase to mean “whole”), simply meaning if you are not Catholic this book is still for you.

The reason I bring this book up is because fear is too often a main theme in conversations with people. My workshops are coming to a close this month but they will restart in the Fall. I have had the opportunity to speak to well over 1,000 people on the topic of creating a photograph. The one constant word is “fear”... fear of not being good enough.

My advice to all has been fail, fail often, enjoy the failure, and fail forward. Failure is the creative process.

Be not afraid. Life has purpose.

Maybe I did have something profound to say? You decide.