As I got closer to Brainerd, I noticed the road ahead of me looked a little hazy. As I drove into the haze, I realized that it was actually very light snow blowing around. Off to my left the sun was blazing. Earlier I put my sun visor down to keep the sun out of my eyes. Now I noticed that there was something in the sky so I lifted the visor so I could see. It's not the wisest move to look off to the side of the road when you are driving. It's really not wise to do it when the roads are icy. However, every now and then something spectacular occurs and I take the risk. This was one of those times.
The ice crystals in the air were refracting the light and they made a beautiful circle around the sun. On either side there were sharp, brilliant rainbow parenthesis. The sight was truly amazing. It reminded me of the "fire dogs" I once saw in the summer time - a phenomena that is seldom photographed because it is a rare occurrence. This was more impressive than the fire dogs and they had been very impressive.
Had the traffic not been so busy, and had I not been on my way to a practice session in Staples (a friend and I were practicing music for a charity event we are singing for next week) I probably would have pulled off the road and taken pictures. It was a sight that was definitely worth photographing. I don't have a good camera, only my phone which isn't bad; no doubt it would have done a good enough job. It took the picture above as I was driving on another day - also, not recommended. And it will be the source of many of the pictures for this blog.
What I found interesting was my processing of the decision not to pull over. Even though I really wanted to stop and take a picture, I manufactured a variety of reasons why it was not a good idea to do so. In the end I reasoned that it would have to remain a special gift from the Lord that I and others blessed enough to see it had received.
Once that thought entered my mind I began to think about how easy it is to rationalize away meaningful things and take something truly awesome and not share it, thinking that no one else would appreciate it, or that maybe it's just not that important to anyone else. Do I have the right to make that decision? How much of that type of thinking permeates my life? Isn't that a type of selfishness? Do I think it doesn't count because it doesn't really affect anyone else? Does it count?
What it boils down to it that I saw something really spectacular this morning. I wish I could share it with you. Next time, if there is a next time, I will stop and take the picture. I'm very grateful that God doesn't consider whether or not we will appreciate the beauty He sets before us. I'm glad he's not to busy to share His creativity with us. He just does it and shares it with everyone. I'm glad He makes circles around the sun and I'm glad he showed me one today.