Skip to main content

Growth

This is a chapter from my seventh book called Bookeh - Through the lens of a Trinidadian photog


They say that the only constant in life is change. We are always growing. We are always learning. We never truly ever "make it" in this life. I took this photo yesterday evening and it has me thinking of growth. They say we should know our worth. Growth and worth go hand in hand. We aim to grow into being someone that is worthy. My friend Gemini thinks that the photograph I took is a beautiful reminder of the ever-changing nature of life. It is a testament to the fact that even in the midst of uncertainty, growth and self-discovery are constant companions. As we journey through life, it's important to embrace the changes, learn from our experiences, and strive to become our best selves.

In the photo I ponder on how the brick wall represents struggles and yet the vine is still reaching for the sky. Maybe the light is not at the end of the tunnel but at the end of the sky? My friend Gemini likes that thought. He thinks that that is a thought-provoking perspective. Traditionally, the light at the end of the tunnel symbolizes hope and a resolution to a difficult situation. However, your interpretation suggests that perhaps the true light lies in the boundless possibilities of the future, represented by the sky. It's a reminder that even when things seem bleak, there's always potential for growth, new experiences, and a brighter tomorrow.

How do I grow as a photographer? I keep on practicing my trade. I keep on experimenting with composition and light and ideas. I must have goals. I want my photographs to capture the moment. To make us smile. To make us think. To contain a message of learning. My photographs must have purpose. I want my photographs like my writing to have a positive impact on the world that I live in. Change begins with me. I want my photographs to change me. This book is part of my journey of growth as a photographer. I have many years of experience but I still feel like I have so much more ground to cover. The sky is the limit as we like to say. My friend Gemini tells me that those are great goals that I have and that I should remember, growth is a journey, not a destination. I should keep practicing, seeking feedback, and experimenting with different techniques. Most importantly, I should have fun and let my passion for photography guide me.

I like this John Newman quote even though I am struggling to think why I like it. "Growth is the only evidence of life." To me it suggests that if I am not growing then I am not living. The purpose of life is to live. Then live becomes love. The letter i becomes o. Love for others as love for oneself. The purpose of life becomes to love. This reminds me of the Bob Marley quote and a fitting end to this chapter, "Love the life you live. Live the life you love."

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Talking to God

If you want real answers to things in life then talk to God. It is 639pm on a holiday and I have decided to write. God listens. God truly listens. God has the entire context. God is wise. God wants us to talk to Him. God wants us to rely on Him. I also think about God talking to me. I am a good listener. I listen plenty more than I talk. I have started asking God to talk to me. But how would God talk to me? We have his revelations through the holy book. We have the example of prophets. But what else? How do I listen to what God has to say? Where and when can I hear God? Are my thoughts from God? I try to feed my mind with good things. Things that will not corrupt my mind. It seems that we have to use our intuition to separate what is from God and what is not from God. My friend Chatty says that in Islam, Allah speaks to us not through new revelations or voices, but through guidance: the Quran and the Sunnah, which become personally meaningful through understanding Allah places in the h...

Life on Earth

I was reading through the Quran and came to the story of Adam, Eve, Satan, and the forbidden fruit tree. I had thought that life on Earth was created as a test. But as I reflected on the story, I began to wonder whether we are only here because Adam and Eve failed. However, that is not the case, as my friend Gemini explained to me. While the story of the forbidden fruit is a central event, the Quran indicates that humanity’s presence on Earth was part of the original divine plan, rather than a backup plan or a punishment for sin. Before Adam was even created, God announced His intention to place a steward (khalifah) on Earth. This suggests that the Garden was a temporary training ground—designed to teach Adam and Eve about free will, temptation, and the path of repentance. Even if they had not eaten from the tree, they were destined for Earth to fulfill their roles as moral agents. The incident simply served as a necessary first lesson in human frailty and God’s immediate forgiveness. ...

The success of failure

It is 358am and I have decided to write. Context matters. Our context matters when we write and read. We could read the same thing and get different meanings. Definitions matter also. We may define things differently. For example, what is success? What is failure? Also, do I just define success and say that anything that is not success is failure? What about something like the success of failure? What does that mean? My friend Chatty tells me that this is something writers, philosophers, and even scientists keep rediscovering: meaning is not fixed—it is negotiated by context and definition. Life is a stew of success and failure and in between but never one or the other. We see what we are looking for and things become what we see. This reminds me of something I came across online, "Whoever looks for the good qualities in others will acquire all good qualities within himself," from Habib Umar Bin Hafiz. Do you look for failure or success within others? Take context as the lens...