One of the photographers who shares his images with me told me about his craft. He has a keen eye for finding beauty in a patch of ice, or the slant of the sun through a gazebo. He searches for, and finds, the shimmer of dew on a strand of grass, and the scope of the sky at nightfall. With nothing but his phone, for years he went outside on a scavenger hunt for wonder. 

 

Then he invested in a digital camera, which has expanded the possibilities for resolution and focus. Or so he says. I was perfectly content with the first era of shots.  And yet, there has been a dip in his capacity to photograph, as he masters the intricacies of his tool. This has been a disappointment, when he wanted to leap from one level of expertise to the next. 

 

But other artists have told him that this is how it works. When you step into a new realm of creative expression, there is a dip. 

 

This is the season for taking on new habits. Perhaps you yourself have identified one that you aspire to make familiar. If it is a stumble now it could settle into a smooth routine.

 

One time we had a marriage group that had been meeting for most of two months. Each week we sent couples off into corners to spend ten minutes appreciating one another. After a bit we asked, as we often do, how it went. 

 

"When we first starting doing this, it was choppy. Ten minutes felt like a very long time to fill, and I stumbled for things to say. But this week, it flowed easily. I like it."

 

This made me smile. To think that gratitude is becoming easier to express,  seems like a worthy achievement for any two people who walk side by side. Definitely worth the dip.