This year’s holiday card celebrates a special moment in Paris, France. The image is of the Seine River at sunset. There’s an interesting story about the photograph that I sometimes share with audiences.
While I travel a good bit for my speaking presentations, this trip to Europe was for pleasure. My brother and his family lived in Paris and chance to stay with them was very appealing. It’s great to have family and local experts welcoming you.
The photograph was taken at the end of my first day in Paris. After a busy week, I’d flown over and arrived that morning. I’m not someone who can sleep much on planes so I may have looked like the poster child for jet lag. The lost sleep and the time difference made me tired and sluggish.
After dinner, my sister-in-law suggested everyone go for a walk through the nearby streets. For a moment, I hesitated, as I was starting to feel very tired. But then I said to myself, “I’m in Paris. Go and explore the city. Sleep can wait.”
A short time later, I found myself on a perfect June day, looking at the Seine at sunset. I pulled out my point and shoot camera and captured the priceless moment you see on my holiday card.
For me, the image reminds me of a few important lessons:
- I never would have gotten the picture had I stayed on the couch. Sure, I was tired but by the end of the walk, I felt refreshed and engaged. Often, when presented with an opportunity, we think about how we feel in the moment and not how we’ll feel by the action we’re considering.
- Sometimes good is more than enough. While there are advantages to more expensive cameras, my simple camera did a great job of capturing the scene. My experience likely would have been different, had I been lugging around a lot of camera equipment through the streets of Paris. It can be easy to think that something, like a camera, can always be better, when it may be fine as it is.
In the coming year, I urge you to consider the priceless moments that may be happening nearby. Don’t be afraid to get off the couch and seek them out.
