This really was an unbelievable fire – shed full of fertilizer, wooden pallets and fuel (yep, fuel – you can see the barrels if you look closely). Fortunately no one was hurt.
I took this shot when I was a senior in high school. I was a photographer for our school yearbook and happened to have my camera with me when I saw the fire. It’s probably the best photograph I’ve ever taken. Of course, what no one back then saw was what went in to that shot.
I had been studying photography for four years… and sacrificing to buy good camera equipment. I spent the afternoon at this fire – probably burned through eight rolls of film. And after all of that I got one good shot.
A lot of the times I look at other people who do something amazing and forget how much work went in to what they do. Because I don’t see the training they’ve done. The sacrifices they’ve made. The time they pour in to what they’re good at. All I see is one glimpse of one moment in their life.
Which makes me wonder if I’ve given up on some things too soon.
That I haven’t stayed dedicated to the things that matter – because no one else sees them.
That I’ve looked around myself, and instead of getting encouraged by people, I let jealously of their success discourage me.
And I quit before things get good.
So maybe it’s time we do an inventory.
What are you doing now that is going to be something you do great later?
What have you stopped doing that you should start doing again?
What’s something that no one is applauding now, but if you stick to it could change the world?
Sometimes the little things done consistently over long periods of time make the biggest differences.
