I woke up this morning thinking about some things that should have been more obvious to me the last few days. I will turn 60 years of age this year. I think that will officially make me an old (at least older) man. So I was thinking about the passing of time and the normal cycle of life, etc. And of course, pinhole imaging.
Days to Seasons… One of my favorite pinhole images is one of the first I made around 1973. Its called “Living Room – 24 Hours” and it was a one-day exposure of my apartment in Richmond, Virginia when I was in college there. I thought I was pushing the envelope on the exposure on that one. I didn’t know at the time that there were others (I think) doing extended exposures that way also. I still wonder if it wasn’t one of the first color pinhole photos. I doubt it was, but don’t recall seeing any before then.
Getting back to the camera sitting outside on that tree stump, cooking away, soaking up the sun, rain, sky, trees, etc., I realized that perhaps a lot of the things I’ve been writing about the last few days are nothing more than me growing old, and wanting to do it right. I like slowing things down. The winter-long photo I’m taking now is just the right speed for me.
I changed my diet to a healthy one a couple of months ago and have lost weight, feel great, and discovered the pure joy of finding, preparing and eating real food without the cheap fats, sugars and empy carbs that our culture thrives on. I was surprised at how easy this was and wondered why I had not done it sooner. And my wife and I just really enjoy the time in the kitchen together cooking. Maybe this is a normal thing a lot of people do to ease into their later years?
A few weeks ago I began working on editing old home movies – the 8mm film kind. These are mostly my father’s home movies from the 50’s and 60’s. I’ve put this project off for some times, but the technology is here now so it was time. It will be a gift for my brother’s children and grandchildren and others to come. And, my mother will get to see them again after all these years!
So I think a lot of things I’ve been doing lately weren’t some sort of premonition about impending cancer, but maybe just getting old and taking care of a few things that I had kept putting off.
Well, its off to the hospital for a few days of surgery and rest, and then home to figure out the rest.
Thank you Barbara and Katie for sharing your comments. I got other email privately that I’ve really appreciated, talked to old friends on the phone. All is good.
Some links:
Edward Levinson’s Pinholistic Articles
Tom Lindsay, Diagnosis: Cancer