Endeavor to Persevere

By Tom

I enjoy waking up very early on weekends, heading out to various destinations with camera and tripod to take advantage of the early morning light.  My trips never disappoint.  Sometimes I capture beautiful images but often not. It really doesn’t matter.  Watching the world come to life, witnessing the subtle transition from darkness to light fills a primal, spiritual need.  To experience it satisfies a personal need, and to capture it in images is an artistic challenge.  I enjoy both.  But during the winter months it’s something of a struggle.  The shocking rush of cold air when I reach out from our warm bed to turn off the alarm triggers a search for excuses that doesn’t end until I’m 15 minutes down the road, my car finally warmed up inside, and me sipping some hot coffee.  Sunday morning was one of those instances where I begrudgingly drove up through Port Jervis, following the Delaware up past Barryville.  It would have given instant gratification to turn off the alarm, roll over, and enjoy a few extra hours of sleep.  But instead, I witnessed the sun rising over the mountains, illuminating the river valley with its frost-laden trees. The ice crystals sparkled so brightly that it blinded me to peer through the viewfinder, compose and shoot.  Was it worth it?  Oh yeah.