The peaceful mountain village in this picture was captured by my grandfather Les. Les had a natural eye for details big and small and seemed to know exactly how to capture images with great intention. This was probably due in no small part to having to purchase and develop film rather than having digital capabilities at hand. When I look at this photo, I think about how in order to capture both the small village and the grand mountains behind them, a person had to walk away from the town, back out of it and broaden their perspective. Standing within the village, the buildings would have dominated the camera’s lens and most of a person’s world view. Nobody would be able to appreciate the true size of the giant mountain peaks or even see the village as a whole from within the town itself. How often are the struggles we face in our day to day life like the view we would have standing in the village? In the middle of those difficult situations the conflict and uncertainty can feel so large. The issue consumes our life for a time, so close at the front of our minds it is all we can see. It may feel like this one thing is going to define everything for us when in reality, that’s rarely the case. Then time passes, things settle, and while the stress of something may still be there, we are able to step back and see the big picture. As things click into place it is like walking out the village, up the road and looking back. Suddenly we see the trouble that was so large is indeed nestled small and quiet against the greater moments of our life. When we back up, change our view, and look back on the things we have faced, we can see things for what they really are. Stepping back and catching our breath helps to diminish some of those things that seemed all consuming when experienced up close, letting us see them fully and how they work into our lives. Stepping back is the key to seeing the truly grand things in life - like time with loved ones, working on projects we are passionate about, and leaving our unique mark on the world around us. This picture, is both breathtaking and a great reminder of the power of just stepping back and giving things another look.