This past week my hiking buddy and I encountered a beautiful red-orange dragonfly near Bear Mountain Lodge. The dragonfly was perched on the top of one of last year’s yucca flower stalks and caught our attention because its wings were sparkling in the sun. It would zoom off, presumably to catch a nearby bug, then return to the stalk, perching in a slightly different position each time. We joked that it might be posing for us, but chances were much greater that it was simply gaining new perspective on the bugs available in the vicinity.
I spent a few minutes taking pictures of the dragonfly from different angles. As we moved on, I found myself thinking about capturing an image from different perspectives, and how that relates well to a struggle I’ve experienced this week.
You see, I keep taking baby steps toward getting my new website up and running, and one of the issues with which I’m currently struggling is how to present myself through that omnipresent “About” page. Who am I? What is important to share about myself, my journey, my expertise? What do people need to know in order to understand what I have to offer? How do I frame it to make myself stand out amongst the million different website About pages out there?
These questions, frankly, have stalled my work. I can’t seem to get past them. I read other people’s pages, deciding what I like, and seeing so many different ways to approach it. It’s not that different from photographing dragonfly wings; with just the slightest change in perspective, new facets are revealed; the reflected sunlight causes them to shimmer, transforming them in an instant.
The truth, of course, is that my About page can change at any time. What I put up now isn’t set in stone; it’s simply a starting place. And getting started is what I need to do. I need to write something down and trust that new perspectives will become clear over time, and can be added. What I know I need to do is prayerfully prepare myself, then sit down and write, trusting in the Spirit to bring the perspective that I need.
Are there places in your life where forward movement on a project or issue has been stalled by too many choices or perspectives? Can you take it to prayer, trust, and move forward?
Someone told me once to write the first paragraph – just DO it – and later go back and throw it away. Kinda like you have to open the door before you can begin to comprehend what’s beyond it.
That’s a very good way to approach it. The most important thing is to get started. Thank you!