Life during the pandemic has some mind-numbing characteristics. Sure, many of us are frequenting markets, going to work, and searching for ways to maintain a sense of normalcy, but there continues to be something guarded about the way we are all living this life. Personally, I have yet to dine in a restaurant, visited a mall, or felt comfortable around strangers. I continue to seek uncrowded paths when walking my dog or visiting our town. Fear of the unknown, a schizophrenic virus without a cure, is that “other thing” that seems to linger in the recesses of my subconscious. Awakened by a dream this morning in which I frantically asked maskless strangers to leave my home, I suddenly I realized how deep the pandemic has rooted into my psyche.

While the events that began in early 2020 have influenced just about every decision I now make, this new reality has not dampened my enthusiasm and love of photography. In fact, it has served as my motivation to wake up early, hit the road, and hike familiar trails. Mornings are the rare times when quiet dominates, parks are empty, and nature rules. It is during these silent moments that I own the sunrise, I find a bit of inner peace, and I experience the awakening that I crave.