January 3 - Sense of Place

January 3 - Sense of Place, originally uploaded by Jesse_Laird.

This weekend, we traveled to a wedding in Eugene, and stopped overnight at this farm on our return trip. This is the place where we were married -- in a sheep barn, and to this day I regard it as the most perfect chapel in this great big world.

The owners of this farm are two of the kindest, gentlest, and most deeply faithful people I know. Their home and fields are settled in a part of Oregon where people still make a living from the earth. Just around the corner, a brave and principled family still tills the earth with horses instead of machines.

Each wedding my wife and I have attended has been a chance to reflect on our own commitment, on our own beginning moments, and our shared journey. I think of this farm, and I think of the handful of places where I can feel truly refreshed and reset. And off the top of my head, I would say that at least half are places to which my wife has brought me. This is one of those places.

As we begin the new year, I find myself grateful for the time and place to reflect, press my reset button, and begin another year of great opportunity. I'm thankful for my wife and family and friends, and for all the ways they support and encourage me.

I took quite a few photos today and over the holiday weekend. Most are personal and not to be shared here. But as we explored the farm this morning, I noticed this juxtaposition of icons. They seemed to capture my sense of this place, and I knew this would be my photo for the day.

My inner Boy Scout wanted to unfurl the flag, but the photographer in me felt it somehow dishonest to stage this scene.