I took this photo of myself standing ankle-deep in a nearby lake in early October.
After taking this picture, I pondered it as a bit odd. That is, why take a picture of myself standing and looking down at my feet?
Most of my photos (and most of the photos I see others take) are shot from a different perspective and vantage point. They capture people standing nearby, or dogs playing, or ducks swimming, or beautiful flowers blooming, or trees ablaze in the fall — and sometimes even breathtaking sunsets.
This got me to wondering all the more, “Why did I choose to take this picture? What was I thinking?”
Well, I really don’t know what I was thinking. But in retrospect, I want to believe that I took this picture of my feet anchored in crystal-clear (and refreshingly cool) lake water to remind myself of being grounded on God’s beautiful earth—and in God’s tangible care.
My head is so often spinning with thoughts of the state of the world, or the economy, or of personal problems facing me and those I love, that I am regularly left feeling untethered and ungrounded. This photo helped me see afresh that what I need so often is to simply look down at my feet—to simply pause for a moment to take into my heart, soul, and mind that I am firmly planted on God’s good earth.
Just like God’s got the dogs and ducks and trees and all the people I see when raising my head to look around me, God’s got me too. Yes, even me. Just as I am—simply, but firmly, standing on the ground.
About the Author
The Rev. Dr. John B. Hartman II, D.Min.
Contributor, Smart Senior Daily
The Rev. Dr. John B. Hartman II, D.Min., has enjoyed a rich career as a clinical educator for healthcare chaplains and medical students while also serving as a congregational pastor.
For more than 20 years as a clinical educator in healthcare settings, he has addressed diverse topics such as “Spirituality and Health,” “Bioethics,” “Caregiver Burnout,” and “Science and Religion.” During his 12 years as a congregational pastor, he served churches in a wide range of cultural contexts — from inner city to rural.
In both healthcare and congregational settings, Dr. Hartman was a frequent facilitator of mission-critical conversations. He is also an author whose work has been published in Chaplaincy Today.
These days, his reflections appear regularly on LinkedIn and Facebook, where he writes about “growing older gracefully,” “spiritual moments for seniors,” and “lessons learned about leadership.”
