We Are Climbing...

Thank you to everyone in this wonderful community for the support, encouragement, criticism, and advice you've shown me in 2008. It's been a year of great change for me - much for the good, but also times of crisis and painful realization. Such is the nature of life. We are presented with people and situations so that we may always learn. We must continue to be aware of that which we feel, of our actions, of our motivations, and of every consequence. In the new year, may our choices be positive. May we realize that we have more power than we thought possible to control the course of our lives. And may we never forget how much we influence one another. We pluck a string, and the entire world vibrates. So, make your music sweet. Keep moving, keep climbing, and keep reaching. Never be discouraged.

May we all become better tomorrow than we are today.

Peace, love, and hope to you all.
- Duane (drp)

- - -

When with clanging and with ringing
Comes the year's initial day,
I can feel the rhythmic swinging
Of the world upon its way;
And though Right still wears a fetter,
And though Justice still is blind,
Time's beyond is always better
Than the paths he leaves behind.

In our eons of existence,
As we circle through the night,
We annihilate the distance
'Twixt the darkness and the light.
From beginnings crude and lowly,
Round and round our souls have trod
Through the circles, winding slowly
Up to knowledge and to God.

Though in folly and in blindness
And in sorrow still we grope,
Yet in man's increasing kindness
Lies the world's stupendous hope;
For our darkest hour of errors
Is as radiant as the dawn,
Set beside the awful terrors
Of the ages that have gone.

And above the sad world's sobbing,
And the strife of clan with clan,
I can hear the mighty throbbing
Of the heart of God in man;
And a voice chants through the chiming
Of the bells, and seems to say,
"We are climbing, we are climbing,
As we circle on our way."

- Ella Wheeler Wilcox

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I've reinstating a practice I feel is very important.
Those of you who have known me for a while will remember this:

As a way of returning the extraordinary generosity and support
you have all shown me in this great community, whenever I upload
a new pic or series of shots this year, I'll provide a link to another
flickr photographer whose work, personality, or spirit I feel you
should discover.

Visit and introduce yourself. Make a friend. Share the love.

Open your eyes to daveblume today.