Thankful for the Opportunity to See

As Thanksgiving approaches, I've been reflecting on just how much I have to be thankful for.

I'm grateful for the opportunities I've had to travel, to explore unfamiliar places, and to experience life beyond the boundaries of my everyday surroundings. From quiet mornings along the Texas coast to the landscapes of distant places, each journey has given me something to carry home.

But what I treasure most isn't necessarily the destination. It's the experiences along the way. The people I've met, the unexpected moments, the changing light, and the beauty I've discovered when I took the time to look.

I think about these photographs I made in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The Erasmus Bridge stretches across the Nieuwe Maas, its distinctive pylon and sweeping cables creating an almost sculptural presence against the city skyline. Above it, enormous clouds fill the sky, with patches of blue breaking through. A small yellow water taxi crosses the river below, providing a wonderful contrast to the bridge's immense scale.

What catches my attention is the relationship between the elements. The strong architectural lines, the movement of the clouds, the activity on the water, and the city continuing with its day. Rotterdam is a place where modern design and everyday life intersect, and I found beauty in that combination. I could have simply admired the bridge and moved on. Instead, I stopped to appreciate how the light, sky, and human activity came together in that particular moment.

Photography has taught me that seeing and looking aren't quite the same thing. Beauty doesn't always announce itself. Sometimes it's found in a grand landscape or a remarkable piece of architecture, but just as often, it's in a small detail that might otherwise go unnoticed.

This idea is at the heart of my book, Finding the Light Again. The book grew out of my own experiences navigating difficult seasons and rediscovering the importance of paying attention to the world around me. I've come to understand that we don't have to travel somewhere extraordinary to find something worth noticing. Sometimes the light we need is right where we are. We simply have to make room to see it.

Travel has certainly expanded my view of the world, but photography has shaped how I experience it. Seeing with my photographer's eye has encouraged me to slow down, look more closely, and appreciate moments that might otherwise pass without a second thought. And those habits don't end when I return home.

I'm thankful for the places I've been, the experiences that have shaped me, and the opportunity to continue exploring this remarkable world. I'm equally thankful for the ability to recognize beauty closer to home, especially during those times when life hasn't been particularly easy.

Perhaps that's what gratitude means to me this year. Not simply appreciating what I've experienced, but remaining curious, paying attention, and recognizing how much beauty is still waiting to be seen.

And for that, I am truly thankful.