Faith Hope and Courage
October 14, 2012 
One muttered something about seeking hope.
Another - about keeping faith.
And a third - I heard - talking about finding the courage...she was so certain that she'd somewhere..sometime lost along the way.
The sun was low in the late afternoon sky..as they sat. The smell of burning leaves reminded them of autumn.
Old friends...
They'd once been so brave..so brazen..so sure. They'd once believed they had all the answers to their questions. And now - they could only agree that they knew nothing. They sat there - together - simply grateful for this beautiful day...for the gift of time gently allowing. They took a moment and a breath - to first look back..and then and again to look forwards.
And they decided that they must be brave together...that they would no longer wait for faith or hope or courage. Now is that time. They must face that fear...feel and embrace it...and just do it.
It was autumn..and winter would soon be here.
Reader Comments (36)
Lovely diffused light.
Yes.
This one brings tears to my eyes. Yes, it is autumn. And, winter will soon be here. Yes, to it all. Beautiful, Marcie. Thank you.
So magical.
Embracing their fear and going forward, how brave of them :-)
Yes, indeed. Sometimes YES is the only response.
i could sit there all day...
Thank you inspirational one! x
Love your musings about growing old – and yes, it takes courage to face it.
The light in your photograph is magical.
I come here for inspiration and I am always uplifted, and slowed and thoughtful when I go back to my day, how beautiful , thank you:~)
So true, the more we think we know, the more we know we don't.
Hello Marcie, nice to meet you! I also believe it's important to stop, savour and appreciate each day. Photographs allow us to stop time, see what we missed, draw attention to a special moment... I look forward to following your journey.
Serene.
"for the gift of time gently allowing" I love that. Love the seasonal metaphor as well. Thanks Marcie.
the glow really makes it great :)
Lovely.
What a beautiful tribute to long-term friendship - and a lesson in going forward together. I would like to be sitting there this morning, looking out on that peaceful scene.
I always take a deep breath and sigh when I read your posts and gaze at your images. They bring me a sense of peace and a place to ponder my thoughts. Your wisdom keeps getting deeper. Thank you for sharing it.
Wow Marcie. This capture has some serious emotion in it! I can look at this and just smell those burning leaves.... Love the horizontal lines in the river against the vertical lines of the adirondack chairs!
the prose is perfect for the photo. Because I had my daughter late in life...all my friends are 15 to 20 years younger than me. This has been difficult for me as I don't have anyone to share the changes that being almost 60 seems to bringing forth in me both physically and emotionally. How I would love to be or sit in one of those chairs!!! This really touched me....there is something so sacred about peer friendships.
Magnificent photography ~ (A Creative Harbor) ^_^
Nice view. I need to add a few chairs to the pond behind my house.
A wonderful image, I would love to sit and rest a while there :-)
There aren't words to express how beautiful this is...magnificent words and photo! I have three dear friends who I can picture sitting in those chairs beside me (and thinking those thoughts) as we watch the sunset together.
This is just beautiful.
Gosh gosh this is absolutely amazing. The peacefulness of it, the beautiful shine on the water, the white of the chairs. I just love this so much!
Beautiful sense of light captured here and emotion in the feelings of the friends in your text!
The lines and elements combined with the stunning light produces a great serenity.
grace ...
I am so happy that I have reconnected with you after so many years in this virtual world. Your photography and writing resonate with me in a very real life way. Thank you Marcie!
great place to lounge and watch the birds fly by.. nice catch!
lovely and tranquil
What a peaceful post and a radiant picture.
Your words are so wonderful and speak so true.
This is a beautiful, serene image. Calming to contemplate. It allows us to fill in a story.
Facing the coming winter is what I've been doing lately. All last week I grieved over the loss of my flowers to our first frost. The pain is gone this week, probably because I allowed myself to feel it last week, but not cling to it. I'm learning.
Now that's a good spot. Gorgeous light