In God’s Eyes…
We rarely show our real faces to the world. And why should we? Without makeup – without at least a thin layer of civility – our barbarous selves are barely tolerable in polite society.
Here you can see how the harsh light of the midday sun shows my every pore, my every wrinkle and every blemish. An unintended scowl forms in unflattering shadows.
Under the glare of true light, a look that is meant to appear “distantly contemplative” is shown for what it truly is: a wary searching, a fearful waiting, a world-weary skepticism. I am betrayed by my own camera lens.
But with a few simple clicks of the mouse, I can erase evidence of a life well- or ill-lived. I can smooth the lines of worry, soften the hard edges and enhance the depth and beauty of my God-given, time-ravaged face. I can give myself an angelic glow. I can make what God made “better”.
I can give myself that “distantly contemplative” look. I can even pretend that that is the real me. I can add colors to my face and to my life that are there only in my imagination.
But I wonder, maybe this is the “real” me. Maybe this is how God sees me. Soft and kind and loving, content and hopeful and even deeply contemplative. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?
“Shower Thy grace upon us in the moment of our greatest need, protect us from ourselves, and allow us to be a beacon of light rather than a dark cloud for the ambiance that surrounds us. Only with Thy aid can we create that peace within and harmony with the outer environment, both natural and social, for which our souls yearn.” -Seyyed Hossein Nasr from Talking to God: Portrait of a World at Prayer (anthology)
Some days it seems as though Diane at Contemplative Photography and I are in sync, seeking similar pathways. Today is one of those days. I had to laugh when I started reading her blog post for today. I had to laugh for sheer joy, joy that God seems to be so….so HERE in moments like these. Go see Diane and read what she has to say about “Accepting your own imperfections.”
prayers for the oft traveled road 
[…] My sweet girlfriends have said I look fine and like the change of seeing me in glasses. My sweet girlfriends love me unconditionally and view me through that love. A dear friend mentioned this is in a blog a few months ago. I wrote to her that I preferred the unphotoshopped version of the photo she posted. I meant it. I do. I printed it out. My girlfriends are beautiful. Hands down. Without a doubt. I will fight any one who says differently. Perhaps I need to re-read my dear friend’s post. […]