Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #100 – Long and Winding Road

Life gives us many challenges and between those challenges we have to learn to choose happiness. Happiness lies in little things of our lives like kindness, gratitude, learning new things, caring for all living beings on this planet. Life can become a beautiful journey with little effort. ― Purvi Raniga

The long and winding road is ours to walk – and in this quote lies what we all know in our hearts, and what we now have been given some extra time to contemplate and practice.

 

Still round the corner there may wait, A new road or a secret gate.  – J. R. R. Tolkien

We are, maybe for the first time, in such uncertainty and bewilderment for what lies ahead of us. We are without guidance, without previous knowledge or much scientific evidence concerning this new Corona virus… but we will learn. We have to.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.  – Edward Abbey

In our daily talks, my grandmother used to say about Life: ”Who said it was going to be easy?” Being a child the meaning of that sentence was not easily understood. As I grew up though, I gradually found out how much truth there was in her words.

Trying times bring out the worst and the best in people. Despite this unruly world, I want to focus on positive things like inventiveness, creativity and kindness – the fact is, today I generally see more good people and helping hands than ever. Our individualistic life has in that respect taken a more responsible, humanistic turn.

When within yourself you find the road, the right road will open.   – Dejan Stojanovic

Pilgrims know that the road, the long and winding… is the message, the goal in itself. I believe that is what my grandmother meant to tell me. Her words were so well put, as a question instead of a statement.

Some beautiful paths can’t be discovered without getting lost. ― Erol Ozan

So, I am a pilgrim, I guess we all are.

In 1989, I went hiking with my dog, in Lapland, Sweden. I met a young man from the Netherlands, Wim, who had come here searching for solitude and contemplation. We walked the path you see in the above photo, and decided to meet up again a week later as we were walking different trails the following week.

And so we did. To my surprise he told me that he had left the trail and got lost for two days. That year we had a lot of snow even in the last week of June, so he was unable to find the road marks. Smiling his funny little smile, he told me how grateful he was for having lost his way – because he had found new beautiful paths and his very own way back. More self confident, more relying on his own abilities. ”I can do this.”

There is a bend in the road. I don’t know what lies around that bend, but I hope for the best.
― Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Mankind has always been curious, adventurous – but there is a balance to be kept, in order not to lose too much for the win in the end. Finding that balance is a delicate matter in its own.

At the end of every road you meet yourself.   – S. N. Behrman

With a dedicated heart, I am sure you can. And with this final quote, I will leave you walking your own long and winding road, while I continue mine.

The trials on the road to world harmony are no greater than the courage of those who accept the challenge.  – Carl Lewis

 

This week, Tina asks us to share our images and thoughts about the long and winding road. See Tina’s powerful post here.  We always appreciate your support and enjoy seeing your responses to our challenges. Be sure to link to Tina’s original post and to include the Lens-Artists tag.

Finally, we are excited to announce that next week the Lens-Artists team will be bringing you a very special event. Cee of Ceenphotography has graciously agreed to lead us on our next challenge. All four members of the Lens-Artists team will join Cee next Saturday at noon EST in response to her challenge subject. We look forward to seeing where she leads us, and hope you’ll join the fun as well.