Photo Prayer 2021-43 -- Indecisive Moment
Folk singer Fred Neil was standing on the corner of Bleecker and MacDougal wondering which way to go. There is no plaque on the sidewalk memorializing his indecision but he did put it in song. Indifferent moments of choice bring us close to the nexus of fate. Think of Robert Frost stopping by a yellow wood. Or the samurai in Akira Kurosawa’s film “Yojimbo” throwing a stick into the air to decide which way to turn. Moments such as these show us how much we are in God’s hands. Perhaps today you or I will be blessed with such a pause in our pursuits. If so, savor it. Write a song about it. Write a poem. Make a movie.
Photo of Cafe Reggio, 119 MacDougal Street, New York City.
Photo copyright 2010; text, 2021 by Danny N. Schweers.
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Comments
Donna wrote:
So thoughtful and the perfect photo scene. Great pic, Danny!!!
Stephanie wrote:
Last week I loved your photo of the stone shed for it's starkness and strength. This week I also love the photo with ALL THAT STUFF! And your sentiments. The wall decorations are so ornate and the paintings are from another century. The casual dress of the patrons and the whimsy of the bistro table and chairs would have horrified the artist and the clock maker. Somewhere through the centuries a gazillion decisions have been made. I don't know if it's God's will, but I am grateful for your DECISION to take this photo. The camera has taken posture of the figure in the painting and the raised arm of the woman at the table to create unity and movement. The three men at the tables are perfect for the photo title. The one under the clocks seems to be making a point that the other two are pondering. Will they agree?
Hugh wrote:
Thank you for reminding me of some of my favorite things! Now my brain will be singing “Everybody’a talking at me” all day, making me happy.
Craig wrote:
A darker example: the coin toss in No Country for Old Men…. [ DANNY REPLIED: Yes! In No Country for Old Men, the killer — being generous in his twisted way — offers his victims a 50/50 chance of not getting killed, bringing them as close as you can get to the nexus of fate. I remember them consistently denying the choice, refusing to choose heads or tails, not believing their continued life could depend on the flip of a coin. As a Christian, I believe God redeems all things, coin flips and all manner of random events. Redemption may include giving those random events meaning, as the Confucians believe, if I understand their beliefs. ]
Nancy wrote:
Decisions often require an element of risk… getting married, having children, and sometimes making hard choices in life or deciding on what might not seem like an important decision but turning out to be so important…. Is that moment of indecision actually prayerful? I think so.
FROM FACEBOOK
Ken
That is truly a classic image.
John
Wow! A really awesome image; and the power of B&W! Thanks! Along with a great text!
Keith
Love this image, Danny.
Connie
Wonderful photgraph and text.
Mariann
"Standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona; such a fine right to see..." Nighthawk-ish -- memorable!
Pamela
Thank you for sharing this!
Denison
Sounds like lesson from our Cenacle meeting last night.