through his eyes

i love this photo... take a good look at it... at first my my brother and i laughed because we thought it was silly for our dad to take a photo of his rodeo gear... you see a saddle, boots, hat and duffel bag.... and a chipmunk! if you saw the chipmunk right away then good for you.. cause it took us a while...

this photo also makes me think of my dad.. not just because it is his stuff... and a memory from his past but because we get to see something through his eyes...

my dad had eagle eyes, which is baffling because i have keratoconus (a disorder having to do with the cone shape of my corneas), i don't see much detail... i don't see depth... like the edges of curbs.. it is a frustrating issue that i am going to be seeing a specialist about very soon concerning possible permanent options including a cornea transplant....

so much of my life... even before i knew i had this issue.. my dad would spot a deer or other animal and i never got to see it... i just thought there was a bit of magic in him.. some left over native american intuition with nature that i didn't have... but it was just the way he "saw" things.. ok so maybe he was more in tune with nature than most of us.. but there was no trick to it... it was just quietness and patience... the man could sit with a fishing pole for hours before recasting... and came back hunting season after hunting season without a trophy.. but plenty of stories of what he saw

as i try to continue to learn from him i have begun to practice patience more intensely... i listen harder.. i do my pit bull jump at your throat less... it is the part of me that gets me into the most trouble... and what i have learned is that life is much easier if i just let it happen. it meaning life... i can enjoy my life (without being completely content with my situation).. i can enjoy the beauty life has to offer...

the snow is quickly melting as mu yard has turned green in a matter of a day... soon my bleeding heart bush will come out of hibernation and spring will be here... spring is the ultimate sign of renewal.. and if i don't watch patiently i might miss it...

my dad very clearly was in love with life... it was apparent in how he chose to live his life... i want that... i don't want to just see the rodeo gear anymore.. i want to see that chipmunk in everything i do