In photography, as in life, one may notice the presence of a prodigious tree, standing near a pile of dull garbage bags. It is the photographer’s choice to keep the memory of the great tree, by changing the angle from which the scene is captured, through a focus on the beauty of the tree. In the same way, in life, the people we meet may indeed have flaws, but they also have qualities. By changing the angle from which we approach them, we discover around us innocence, inner beauty, and interest in each person along our daily journey. As a believer, I never have the absolute certainty that God exists, but if He does, I am convinced that He manages to love us all by changing the angle from which He approaches us, cherishing and protecting us despite our imperfections, our limits, and our darker sides. It is up to me to make the small effort to change the angle of my gaze and the way I approach those around me. I am neither prodigious, nor victorious, nor merciful like God, but I try, as best as I can, to adapt my attitude and the way I observe, because I know that God sees the wonderful spark that dwells in every person who crosses my path. I am aware that I deserve no credit for doing so, but that God, indeed, deserves it, by intervening through me despite my imperfections and failings, so that I may look upon others with respect.
