Recently I was out walking with my baby girl. When we entered our favorite forest path, she rapidly nodded off to sleep as the carriage softly swayed back and forth. Lucky me, I thought, time for a photo shoot. It was a beautiful day and I had my camera ready with a 100mm macro lens.
I enjoy the forest immensely. There is a special feeling there that I can’t put my finger on. This is the first image a took (arranged a little in Lightroom)
At the edge of the forest we reached a field, at which there was a highway on the opposite side. All of a sudden I saw this truck driving by.
The combination of seeing the text on this vehicle and me being outdoors, my environmental conscience was making itself known. I rejoiced at the knowledge that I had a short moment to enjoy all the gifts of nature. I even decided to celebrate that fact – by taking more photos.
I looked after more signs of autumn. Here’s one.
I went past a few allotment gardens. Here I found some remains of the rain from the night before.
And here are some melons, protected inside a green house.
On the way home I took some more forest shots.
I felt truly intoxicated by mother earth’s beauty. But… just as I made that point to myself I saw that someone literally had been intoxicated. The images I previously had in my mind were all erased – by this!
So much for green grass and “blue water”, I thought. I know it’s not the most vile crime, but still, who would do such a thing? I usually try to see the good in each of God’s children, so I worked hard at pushing away any feelings of anger. Then I reached up, grabbed the beer can from the branch, and started for home.
But after ten yards or so, I saw the light falling nicely by this tree trunk. I just had to stop. So I placed the can on the ground and took my picture.
After leaving that spot, and walking a while, I suddenly stopped and said out loud: “Oh, no, the can!” I forgot to bring it! Then a voice crept into my left ear: “No, just forget about it! It’s too far to go back. It wasn’t even your can to begin with!”
I was almost sold on the idea when I heard another voice, this time from my right side: “Do you really want to be like the other one? That’s who you’ll be if you walk away now!”
I sighed. “Okay, okay!” I answered my conscious. (It’s strange – but maybe not – how he always knows the right questions to ask.) Without further thought I went back, picked up the can, then threw it in the nearest trash bin. Just as I did so an elderly couple with walking sticks passed by. Apparently they had seen what had happened, because the woman said to me: “Wow, I wish everyone could do what you just did now!”
They passed me so quickly that I didn’t get a chance to register the comment, so all I could squeeze out was: “Uhhh… thanks!”
And thanks to you… conscience!
Louis
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