July 16, 2013 - Sunrise to Sunset

Sunrise off the back deck

Columbia Gorge - driving home

Fire on an island in the Columbia

The hills near sunset

Sunset over the Columbia

Sunset near home

Today was quite the day.  It's been one year precisely since my accident - and a friend drove me to Portland to see my retinologist. (The two things are not related - that's just how the day settled out on the calendar.)  Driving on this particular day is an act of courage - in itself, a thing of beauty.  But the beauty on the drive!  The first photo was taken at home, off the back porch.  All the rest are "through the car window" photos, documenting just a small sample of the beauty that surrounded us today.

 

First and foremost, it seems vital to say that the eye appointment went amazingly well.  My vision has improved to 20/25, so is no longer marginal.  To celebrate, I had injections in both eyes, and will continue to get them every two months.  A very small price to pay for the privilege of seeing.  And it seems to me it is a privilege - everything I look at, all the possible views, every bit of color becomes more and more precious to me as I both celebrate the reality of this improvement, and continue to stare into the fact that there is, as of now, no cure.  But, those injections not only are keeping the disease at bay - they are also working well enough in me that my vision improves almost every time I have an injection.  So, for me, they are "shots of hope".

 

I think the colors in the sky today were put there for my enjoyment, and for the delight of anyone else who would take the time to look.  The variations in the hues was astounding, and changed from one mile to the next as clouds alternated with sunshine, finally settling into a dazzlingly beautiful sunset.  I took many more photos - the joy of digital photography!  Just keep shooting and hope that something will turn out the way you hope!

 

I just noticed that both of the last paragraphs ended with the word "hope".  Apropos for the day, I would say.  It is indeed a hopeful day - new sight, improved vision, enough hope to live on for a good while.  Thanks be to God!