“Our Muddy Puddles”
“Our Muddy Puddles”
There are many reasons I love the arrival of spring. One of them is the blooming of the cherry blossom trees. I enjoy searching from place to place to find the best views—and hopefully capture some beautiful photographs.
It was in Flushing Meadow Park where I took what will always be not only my favorite cherry blossom photo, but also one of the most meaningful photos I have ever taken. This image has everything a photographer dreams of: cotton-white clouds scattered across a bright blue sky, crisp green grass, and the contrast of pink cherry blossoms against barren trees in the background. But what draws me most to this photo is the muddy puddle.
If I were standing close to that puddle, looking down at it, I probably wouldn’t see anything beautiful. Yet, when combined with the rest of the scene, that dirty pool of water makes the image perfect—for me.
This “muddy puddle,” along with the surrounding beauty, is what life is. None of us go through life without experiencing things we wish we could avoid. Sometimes it’s beyond our control. Sometimes it’s the result of a decision we’ve made. Often, it’s a combination of both. But over time—through effort, self-reflection, and the love and support of friends, and sometimes professionals—we move through those difficult times. We find peace, and the happiness we deserve.
When we reflect on those challenging times, even the ones we wish had never happened, we begin to understand how they have shaped who we are. In many cases, they have made us better.
True self-love is accepting everything about ourselves—the parts that appear beautiful to the world, and our own “muddy puddle.”
We cannot separate them. They are who we are.
