I shot this a couple summers ago.
A forest fire had broken out a couple miles from my in-laws’ house.
The capture is beautiful. It really is. And it got me thinking.
What’s so beautiful about this image?
It’s destruction and chaos.
It’s one little plane valiantly trying to control that chaos, knowing that it is a futile effort to try and stop it from happening—but still holding on to the possibility that maybe the damage can be partly contained—hoping that all its efforts are not in vain.
Just trying to make a difference.
What must it be like?
Flying blindly through thick smoke… barely able to see anything… not knowing what’s ahead…Terrified of crashing because of the treacherous conditions and yet, knowing that there is nobody else that can do it.
It’s kind of like parenthood.
(At least parenthood for me.)
Trying to control something that is uncontrollable. Doing the best that I can with the tools that I’ve got.
Putting out one fire while watching the rest of the forest burn.
Looking for the positives amidst a proverbial sea of negatives.
“Hey, I know that trees everywhere are burning and that this whole forest could go at any moment, and I know I’m just one plane… “
“…but at least I’ve got more than a bucket.”