Work With What You've Been Given

Rarely, if ever, do I crop my photos. What I shoot is what you get. I may take hundreds of shots of the same image, in order to get that hairline edge that balances the composition. In the darkroom, I would have no second thoughts of cropping, dodging, burning, etc. The instant preview of the digital age finds me compelled to shoot until I have captured the exact image I desire. The only thing I may change is in the shoot itself. I may remove a spot from a petal, a stray spider line, or a stick from the background, but I don't like to do that.
As difficult a time as I have with change, I have found that I am not alone. Our community has & continues to go through a lot of change. Many of us moved here for the natural beauty...the peace & quiet, the atmosphere of serenity & calm, a place of retreat. In addition to sod & siding, we find ourselves faced with electronic hums, glaring lights, & missing wildlife.
Two weeks ago, I walked down an animal trail, flanked by long, tall grasses. I found myself surrounded by little pink pigtails... a sure sign of indian summer & the coming of autumn. They were everywhere & I wanted to capture the moment. They were too spread apart for the effect that I wanted, so I tried gathering some of the long reeds & propping them in a cluster. I wasn't going for an award-winning image, simply wanted to share a moment. I never could capture the abundance of tiny treasures.
Many households are considering moving on & even we have spoken of leaving this haven of retreat we so love. A few days ago, I traveled along the same forest trail. I was deep in thought when I noticed the pigtails. They are more prolific now & I quickly set about shooting. No need to move anything around. God worked in His own time without any help from me. From deep within and around I heard God speaking to my heart, saying, "Work with what you have been given. Work with what you have been given..." The image is not what I had hoped, but it has the path that I hadn't thought I could include. I have found a common bond with long-time neighbors & deepened old relationships. God always works things out better than I ever could or would.
Patience... Trust... Faith... Selah!