Simple Beauty

Urubamba Door

This past week was very interesting. There was a bit of everything: beach, sun, super moon (!), realizing that we could let Bomber off leash at the park without him trying to run away, Cinco de Mayo celebrations, and I also sold another photo on my Etsy store!

Every single event was unique in its own way. I strongly believe that the universe has its own ways of communicating with us and that it is up to us to pay attention to the signs, and to understand what the message is.

Cinco de Mayo at Dolores Park

This past week I was also a bit overwhelmed by a sense of doubt. The same that tends to appear every great while and that makes me evaluate if what I’m doing is right, if the path I’m taking is the one that will lead to my dreams. I want to think that every person goes through that same self-evaluation process and that it is a helpful way of redirecting your life, if needed.  As this week comes to an end, I have realized that the path is right and that what I’m doing is also right. Selling a photo less than 24 hours after posting it, was the little push I needed. It was the sign that made me think of Winston Churchill’s words: Never never never give up.

The photo I sold is of a teal door framed by a half-yellow, half-red wall. I took the photo while traveling the Urubamba Valley in Cusco, Peru.

SF door

Street Art

Street art

The Urubamba Valley is also known as the Sacred Valley of the Incas, probably because it encompasses the heart of the Inca Empire. Within the valley there are several well-preserved Inca ruins and temples such as Ollantaytambo and Pisac. Like most Inca constructions, these ruins speak of the architectural genius of this civilization. Of course I was impressed by the ruins and structures I saw while visiting the area but, when it came time to select what photos to edit and post for sale on Etsy, I did not choose the ones of the majestic Inca temples, but  instead the one of a random door I saw around town.

Found a snail!

Simple beauty comes in many shapes and colors and, very often, it challenges your eyes to look more closely at what surround you. It makes you divert your attention from what is obviously beautiful to focus on the simple details around you.

I’m happy this photo sold. The main reason I posted it on Etsy was that I had printed it to use as a model for an acrylic painting. That’s how much I like it!

Pretty gate

Anyway, let’s rewind to last weekend. With a big Cinco de Mayo celebration and a larger than normal moon coming our way, last Saturday was a very eventful day, and it was also a great day to go out to try to capture both moments.  However, like in the Urubamba Valley, I was once again drawn to the simple beauty around me.

Someone is watching me!

Some of the buildings in the city have very intricate details on their facades, and I think sometimes it’s hard to notice those details because you get lost in the overall beauty of the houses and their unique style. If you look at some windows, you see small details that, I think, have been put there for the outside world to notice. Everywhere you look, there are gorgeous flowers blooming. If you pay close attention to gardens, you realize they house elves and colorful stonework. Some iron gates around the city are also works of art on their own.  Art is also on the sidewalks and benches around the city as people have taken time to liven them up with images, colors, and messages of peace. In some instances, what appears to be a moldy wall is actually the perfect ecosystem for snails to thrive on.

Yes, if you look closely, there is beauty everywhere. Whether it is a truck that got spray painted, or a beautifully framed door, art seems to be all around us. We just need to open our eyes and pay more attention to it.

And then there is also the beauty that our universe gives us in nature. Last Saturday the moon was supposed to be 14% bigger than normal and Joe and I set out to try to see it and, hopefully, get a photo of it. We walked to the top of a nearby hill and could see the light that was coming from the super moon. After climbing a bit more, we finally saw it and it was simply beautiful.

For more simple and not-so-simple photos, visit my Etsy store.