I like to listen to things. Sound is life. People think that because I am a photographer, I am all about light. But light and color are merely indicators of a signature flowing through creation that is sound. So I listen and try to decipher, to hear, comprehend, move forward.

Certain things that I hear create textures that eventually comprise threads which in turn weave the tapestry of life. You all get to see that, as I photograph those instants.

It is Fall here in Ventura California. The voices in my life burst forth in a timbre that in turn, becomes something remarkable. Here is a sampling of some  heard, these past few weeks. The view is rich but the sonnet, remarkably breath catching.

From film maker Gregory Schell.

“California Forever” Jean Baudrillard, (1986)

The sunsets of California are giant rainbows lasting for an hour. The seasons here make no sense: in the morning it is spring, at noon it is summer, and the desert nights are cold without it ever being winter. It is a kind of suspended eternity in which the year is renewed daily, with the guarantee that it will be like this each day, that every evening will be that rainbow of all the colors of the spectrum in which light, after having reigned all day long in its indivisible form, in the evening fragments into all the nuances of color that make it up, before it finally disappears. Nuances which are already those of the instant rainbow catching fire in the wind on the crest of the Pacific waves. This is the invulnerable grace of the climate, privilege of a nature that completes that insane richness that is man’s.”

From EMT and Photographer Charlie Witmer.

I’ll try to make this brief. I went on a call recently. An older

man about 89 years old had fallen out of bed at a supervised care

facility in his apartment and hit the call button around his

neck.The nurses all huddled around him said he hurt his legs. I

said to him “Hi my name is charlie, what’s yours?” The answer to

this brief introduction usually yields a clear picture of

orientation, slurred or clear speech,and affect of a patient. he

said, “My name is Ed” I noticed he was unclothed except for a

diaper he was wearing. I inquired as to whether or not he was

injured, lost consciousness, had any shortness of breath, chest

pain, and a few other annoying questions. He informed me that “I

just want to be put back to bed” I told him I had to perform a

hands on physical exam to rule out any injuries but that I first

had to move him away from the edge of the bed. I reached under his head

shoulders and chest while the other firefighter got under his pelvis and

legs and we moved him in unison out away from the bed. He

was putting his full trust in me. It was then that I looked up and saw the

photos of a much younger “Ed”. He had been a USN Commander and was in fact

the lead pilot of the Blue Angels at a point earlier in his life.

I asked him if that was his photo up there and he confirmed it. I

immediately told him how I admired the Blue Angels and In my mind they

“are the best of the best”. I felt so humbled and honored to be able to

help this unsung hero.I pondered in my mind what it must be like going

from having a rocket strapped to your ass, screaming through the wild blue

yonder at super sonic speed, only to land next to your bed over 50 years

later unable to get up on your own power

It also struck me like hammer that our glory days are so fleeting

and in time they become a faded memory. We really can’t take any of

it with us so we must make the most of what we have right now and

give what we can while we can.

I sent “Ed” off to the hospital having just been privileged to touch

some living history and honored to have met such a special man.

A poignant blog by photojournalist Logan Mock Bunting

From my friend and team leader, K38’s Shawn Alladio, an excerpt from a debriefing on the death of Cesare Visrara:

2 days ago, Cesare received his final send out in Italy. Rest In Peace. Life has been fair to all of us. We have a job to do and it is not finished. Learn better leadership skills,stay steady, stay strong, lead with integrity, lead without fault, use the standards, do not deviate. You must be physically fit! You have to be fit to do the job to the ending! Pay attention! You have to develop a stronger mindset. I do not want to work with idiots or mediocrity. Idiots and mediocrity kill people, destroy team ethics and has no place near K38, so get the fuck out of the way if you want to be weak. Strength is what you need, are you good enough? You better be, if not dig deep and make it happen. Find your weakness and change it. Don’t be afraid.

I want all of you to rest in peace as well. It is time to move forward and not stare at our past, but look forward to our future work and goals and becoming a better person from this experience.

As usual Seth Godin dropped this into my e mail just now. One of the voices.

There are many more things that I have heard this week. This blog could go on for way too many pages. But I recount those, to show and tell you this:

Things we hear, choose to listen to and embrace, pay great dividends. So discern and cherish those. Look at the texture it creates.  You feel it.  May you never hear those words: “You never listen to me.” What we hear becomes the light on the highway of life.

Listen to this while you look at these. The Earth whispers this to us non stop.

Did you hear that?