A photo challenge 

This week, I would like to set a challenge to everyone reading this, so if you are up for a challenge, read on…..

Yesterday morning I headed out for an early morning to catch the sunrise. It was beautiful to be down on Eastern Beach as the sky started to light up with shafts of pink, purple and peach light and as I walked down by the ocean, I was stuck once more by just how beautiful and peaceful this place is.

I am always taking pictures outside and I love the beach and the sky the most. I exclaim almost every day ‘it’s so pretty’ and just stand and look at it. I know I am lucky to live here in New Zealand, a place that is renowned for its natural beauty but I was also lucky to grow up near the beach in Thornton- Cleveleys, I just didn’t realise it. The beach and the sky were there too, but I was often too busy, too stressed out and too concerned with things that now seem inconsequential, to notice. My point is I guess that there is so much beauty in nature but that sometimes we don’t pay that much attention to what is right in front of us.

When we are somewhere different, we are more likely to pay attention to the flowers, listen to the sounds of unfamiliar birds or just stop and take in the view. When we are somewhere familiar, if we are not careful we can become so used to what is there that we find it hard to see it at all.

So here is the challenge. I want you to try and notice the familiar again. Try to see what you see every day with new eyes. Take a picture of something in nature that when you really see it, makes you feel a sense of wonder and brings you joy. Take a deep breath and then capture the moment. If you want share your picture, you can post it to the Breadthoflife facebook page or in the comments for this post, send in a message or use #breadthoflife on Instagram.

Stop, listen and pay attention.

Allow nature to teach you stillness.

Eckhart Tolle