Living – through photos

I’m back in Helena now for my birthday (which is tomorrow, June 2) to be with my family. All is well – well, almost all. Time is beginning to pick up its pace in a good way – getting settled in a great home in Missoula, two retreats and more to come, new work at the University, seeing friends, making my way back to studies.

One of the many wonders of being back in Montana is that I want to photograph nearly everything I see. I’m not sure if it really is that much more beautiful here, or if I am simply more awake to the beauty around me. My spiritual director on my Jesuit retreat this weekend noted that I am clearly sensitive to the beauty of the world, which is a great gift. Sadly, I noted, it also seems that I am sensitive to the darkness and suffering out there. He gave a grimacing smile and nodded, as if to say, “no gift comes without cost.”

So true. The lesson, I think, is to maintain balance, to recharge in the beauty when I need it and plunge into the darkness to help those there when I can. Too much beauty and I risk greed and unhealthy pride, too much darkness and my very joy of life is sapped from me.

So, speaking of joy and beauty, here are some randomly assorted photos of my journeys and time back in MT so far:

Back yard at the Center for Ethics, where I work.

Mom and Dad – a truly terrible Cribbage game; after two hands both of them have around 30 points and I have 2 (note the green pegs still at the starting line, that’s me).

A biker, big skies, and the Montana mountains west of Billings, MT from my journey home.

Speaking of journey home; sometimes when something or someone is so on your mind, you see it/him/her pretty much everywhere you go.

In Missoula at the farmers market, Jen and the kids (Left to Right): Bo, Rory, Maggy and Thor.

Patia trying on a tiara. This week she merely sampled, but a week later, apparently under my bad influence (and a 25% off offer), she broke down and bough it.

A little fox – dressed up for the annual World Wildlife Film Festival parade after the farmers market.

Thor showing off his shamrock napkin… Hi!!

From my folks’ front yard in Helena, a rainbow welcoming me home.

YMCA’s Camp Child, site of my Buddhist retreat last weekend – more photos from that to come soon.

And, remember my post discussing my good friend recently finishing his PhD in Philosophy? Well it only took him a week or two to move from Dr. Tony to Professor Tony – now a full time professor at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. Here we are after a celebratory drink in Helena. (Congrats and Salud!)