One of my favorite parts of the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is when the photographer has been waiting to capture an image for hours, maybe even days, and when the times comes to take the photo this is the conversation Walter and Sean have:
Walter Mitty: When are you going to take it?
Sean O'Connell: Sometimes I don't. If I like a moment, for me, personally, I don't like to have the distraction of the camera. I just want to stay in it.
Walter Mitty: Stay in it?
Sean O'Connell: Yeah. Right there. Right here.
This weekend I was in Boone, NC driving the Blue Ridge Parkway and hiking with my friend, Rachel. We were recommended a lookout spot to visit. On the way up and once we arrived I was taking photos, normal. Beautiful shots everywhere. Once I felt I had captured enough I walked up next to Rachel who had just laid down on the rock face. She said, "Lay down Syd, it feels so good!" In my mind I was more like, "Okay, I have experienced this lookout lets go to the next." As I continued to stand and she responded laughing, "Just lay down." So I laid down. "Isn't it warm?" Last time I laid in nature was in a tent and there was snow on the ground, but to my surprise the rock was warm. Quickly my mind it felt like I was laying on the beach on a warm day. At least that until the next wind gust came and I was glad I wasn't in a swimsuit on this mountain.
I LOVE laying in the sun, but it's not normal for me to lay in the sun on a mountainside. Instead of prematurely leaving, we laid on this mountainside and talked for hours, looked out over the Blue Ridge and watched small clouds form and disappear right in front of us. Simple and memorable. The invitation to slow down had welcomed me and I was taking it in deep. We could drive for hours looking at all the lookouts, taking hundreds of photos, and getting the feeling of "experiencing it all." I think in the slowing down we were truly able experience this mountain view. Letting creation effect me not just by seeing something beautiful, it was marking me because I gave into fully seeing it. I love photos and the way the tell stories and the way they capture beauty, but I also think it is easy to be distracted by a camera or a phone that post photos. I also think there is honor to be given to creation that is in front of us and letting God speak in the moment.
There was an invitation to slow down and fully take in the moment. I chose to give in to this one and I'm glad I did. Do you ever feel the invitation to slow down in moments? This weekend I looked into the expanse of the Blue Ridge Mountains like I would if I was at an ocean front and it changed me. What moments are you allowing to mark you? I always thought I was an ocean front girl but now I will never see mountains the same after today.