This bird was suddenly and perhaps unwillingly thrust into the limelight; I can relate. I became aware this week of a series of events at work that will require me to assume a new set of responsibilities. In my line of work that generally means child advocacy. It’s 2011 and I don’t mind telling you I can’t understand why there’s any need at to advocate for children. Aren’t the benefits to our society of adequately caring for children incredibly apparent? That’s probably a post for another day or maybe another blog.
Much of my life I’ve spent in stunned silence contemplating a series of new overwhelming responsibilities. Some of these duties I walked into with full knowledge and some blindsided me with the sheer gravity of the task. Shortly after I got married I called my dad to chat about how on earth he’d survived a half century of worrying about my mom’s wellbeing. I’ll admit it, I’d spent the better part of my years leading up to marriage worrying about me. It was very disconcerting to suddenly bear the additional weight of worrying about another person–a person who, incidentally, is not much of a safety freak on the freeway or anywhere else for that matter. When she’s ill, the woman sleeps with a cough drop in her mouth for crying out loud! I’m just saying…
If I thought marriage was responsibility I had another notion coming when we had kids. When he was about a week old my son got very ill. We spent almost a month in the hospital taking shifts at his bedside and hoping desperately for his recovery. My wife and I learned quite a bit about life, love, marriage and parenthood during those sleepless nights. I won’t lie, at times I resented my new responsibility; there were many moments of contemplating my new role and wondering: what, me? The task seemed too great or perhaps more honestly I did not feel strong enough to bear the burden. Bear it we did and with his eight little pounds of pure ferocity, my son recovered.
It was then perhaps I figured out something very important though it seems too trite to write. A life lived without responsibility is a life lived without stakes. Meaningful responsibility, whether for a loved one or a stranger half-way round the world, makes life sweeter. We can only know true joy if we know pain and we can only know true pain when we look outside of our own life and take responsibility for another.
62 Comments
Great essay Chris!. Beautiful picture.
Thanks Daniel–appreciate that!
great focus
Thanks Krunal!
marvelous selective focus, incredible beauty, really compliments Chris, it’s splendid
Much appreciated Fabrizio–thanks!
Superb mono on that buddy, eye-contact & dof are superb… I can relate utterly to your topic and how responsabilities make us grow up the best human way even if some are really tough to bear, i guess it engaged us in the course of life, we’re totally “in”, and appreciate better afterwards the precious of our fragile lives (ours & the ones of those who take care of, and on a larger scale humanity to care about). Thanks for this tip & have a beautiful week-end, Christopher ~ (this sparrow after you pressed the shutter sure flew away to go back to its nest & own responsability – i like this idea too
I like that idea too k@! Thanks so much for the thoughtful comment!
I have to agree. We wouldn’t be living..feeling…adult beings on this earth without responsibility..pain..and grief…and always joy!!!
Gorgeous image!
So true. Greatly appreciated Marcie–thanks!
nice tone!
Thank you Laurens!
Unexpected changes in plan *always* get me anxious. I recently realized I have the tendency to dig in sometimes and resist the change, but this is a great way to look at new responsibilities – an opportunity to grow. Great post Chris, we could all use that reminder.
It’s a struggle fo me too Michael. In part, writing it down is an exercise; I’m hoping I’ll have better insight into my own hangups. As always, thanks so much for stopping by!
fantastic capture, so lovely
Thank you yz!
Responsibility and irresponsibilty – good and bad – happiness and sadness; they go together, because we can’t recognise one without the other.
But, no matter which of the negative states we are in, the good thing is that life is cyclical – although thinking about it, perhaps not with responsibilty, so might as well just enjoy it as much as we are able.
Settling down to enjoy life sounds like a perfect idea–thanks George!
Great DoF and composition. The lighting is really nice as well. Great shot Chris!
Really appreciated d. k.!
Absolutely perfect composition and the B&W suits it perfectly. I know I keep saying it, but the processing lately is inspiring!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on responsibility and advocacy. As a parent it seems to me that advocating for my son is one of my most important jobs. I wish, though, that we lived in a culture that saw more clearly that we are actually ALL connected, so that when others thrive we all thrive too. If we could hold that value as paramount we wouldn’t need advocacy, now would we?
But since we don’t live in that world yet, get to advocating for the kiddos!
Thanks so much Corinna! It seems like it should be self-evident doesn’t it?
An excellent shot and not an easy one to get. These little guys are so fast, flying so fast, landing for only a few seconds. Great stuff here!
Thanks so much Blue!
Excellent clarity and selective focus in this shot. I am getting married soon and I don’t mind telling you I’m scared. I’ve pretty much only had myself to worry about all these years.
Congratulations! The tough bits are better weathered and the sweet parts are even sweeter when shared.
Thanks for that poignant thought. The responsibility of two elderly parents has caused me to experience similar emotions. Something changes when your heart has been broken; strangely you become a more compasionate & a stronger person.
Thank you Katie!
Beautifully written and thank you for sharing your thoughts
I love reading what you write you know… 
The mono is superb!
Thanks so much Anny!
Love the selective focus here and the B&W helps even more for the viewer to zero in on your subject. Terrific shot with the usual great commentary.
Greatly appreciated Mike!
Un focus parfait. Des nuances de gris à tomber par terre. Et un sujet de toute beauté… Superbe cette photo, Christopher.
Merci beaucoup RDL! Vos commentaires sont grandement appréciés.
Great selective focus!
Thanks so much Ben!
An exceptional composition with depth and clarity, and your toning elevates the frame to a new level of wonder. Utterly awesome. And your words so eloquently penned speak for so many of us of truth and wisdom. A first class and accomplished piece.
Thank you so much Soul Aflame, for the very kind words and for visiting my site!
Superb! Very soft and I like the greyscale.
Thank you so much Sherri!
Christopher .. that’s pure magic. Fine contrasts and the raindrops makes it so special.
Very kind Klaus–thank you very much!
I love so much your text, because it is so meaningful for me…
And this little fellow looking at you, and now at me through your lens, gives us another point of view over life. Are we, the bird and I, so much different in the universe? We just have to look at the stars to get an answer.
Thank you so much PixeLuz. I’m so grateful for your thoughts and that the words had meaning for you. They very much came from my heart. Cheers!
Man! Those are some great tones!
Thanks Visioplanet!
I love this. It’s one of my favorites!
Thank you Sheila!
Very impressive shot
Beautiful depth of focus and bw
Great work
Thanks so much Andrey!
This is so gorgeous in b&w!
Thanks so much Krista, for the comment and for visiting my site! Much appreciated!
simply fantastic!
Really appreciate that Joshi–thanks!
excellent processing and natural result, really beautiful.
Thank you very much Pau!
I know this is a photo blog, but your words are always brilliant! A life without stakes, now that’s a powerful way of thinking.
Hi Gemma! Thanks so much for the words of encouragement–I really appreciate them! Sorry about the delay in posting your comment. For some reason it found its way to my spam bin and I forgot to check yesterday.
Great shot, i like treatment, fantastic BW with good lights, i love it !
Many thanks Olivier, for the comment and for visiting my site! Merci!
wonderful ,,,just wonderful photograph and so touch beautiful writing,,,,, i am becoming your extreme fan since i am reading you…
well done sir…
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Thank you so much Ayesha for these kind words–I’m honored!
A great image, and a great story.
I’ve just spent a little of my day clicking around your website and enjoyed your photographs and your writing.
I am still young and yet to experience these responsibilities you write about, but I anxiously look forward to each new stage of life