Like most people, I haven’t always embraced challenges when they have presented themselves to me. As a child I would often hide from the sort of challenges that traveled on the words and deeds of grown-ups. If an adult was challenging you to do it, it must be bad. As I grew older, I began to see the profit that could be gained by challenges. Not financial profit, but an increase of internal wealth by doing what seems to be difficult. Most of my best memories have come from challenging moments or events, that left me wealthy in knowledge, heart, or physical acuity, upon completion.

A great horseback trip in the Canadian Rockies that I took with my sister, culminated with a day of bitter, body numbing freezing rain and snow. Five days earlier we began with a 7 hour ride in the snow. The first night in camp was spent sleeping in floorless tents in 25 degree weather.

Not only did I profit and learn from this adventure, but my favorite times of that trip, were the most difficult.

The first time I was asked to speak to a crowd I said yes, but wished I hadn’t. For me, this was a true challenge. Not only was that first speaking engagement a huge success, but I went on to enjoy, and almost become addicted to speaking in front of crowds.

I once worked a part-time job for an auto auction in an effort to supplement my photography business. I was young and after a few weeks on the job I was given a promotion. On auction day I was in charge of half of all the drivers. I wanted no part of it, but I was told to be the boss, or quit the job. I took the job and learned a lot in my year working part-time there. Those lessons served me well in later life.

Those were little challenges but good lessons. Like all of us, I went on to be challenged in bigger ways that taught me even bigger and better lessons

There really isn’t in my opinion, much to be gained in life without facing challenges and simply doing the best we can. Win, lose or draw, what we learn serves us well. It helps make us complete.

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Below we have three great pictures from three equally great photographers.

Our first image is a nice deep, rich, black and white created by Daniel Schwabe in Saqswayaman, Peru.

This next one is a beautifully composed image from Ian Plant. This picture is from the Banff area of the Canadian Rockies which is almost at our takeoff spot in that mountain horseback ride that I wrote about previously in this post. What a great place to ride horses………..or make pictures.

Our final picture is today’s winner.  Wildlife photography great David Hemmings caught this pair (one adult, one juvenile) of Bald Eagles fighting over a teeny, tiny fish. It hardly seems worth the battle but I am guessing that David is happy they fought the good fight.

“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” Joseph Campbell

Have a great day and may God Bless,                                                                                             Wayne