Lens-Artists Challenge #370 | Ancient

Sofia introduces this weeks challenge theme of ancient. When I heard the theme, I knew where we would be headed to capture some photos.

From Sofia’s post, “This week I’m looking for anything that has had an existence of many years. It can be like my examples, ancient buildings or places, unchangeable landscapes. It can also be traditions, whose origins are lost in time, or obsolete objects of everyday life. Your imagination is as much the limit as age… Remember to tag Lens-Artists and to link back to this post so we can all easily find you.”

1. Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence. Having been in existence for a very long time. Showing or feeling signs of age or wear… adjective ancient
2. The people of ancient times, we not only have the wisdom of the ancients to draw on, we also have a sophisticated science and technology capability” noun: ancient

Even within my own lifetime I think of the changes that I have experienced myself, our first family computer back in 1995 for Christmas, the landline phones with the long cords so we could ‘talk in private in the hall’, the “Wish Book” from Sears that every single child waited for to circle their wishes, or the phone book that had everyones numbers in the book for various towns and cities, getting a cell phone in my late teens, smart phone after having my kids (their video’s are on cd/dvd’s), listening to the radio and “taping” the radio with a cassette tape, having to pause and press record at record times, our parents not having any way to contact us unless we were at a friends house. Interesting times considering how our kids grew up!

As the year anniversary draws closer of my brothers passing, for this challenge, and on a dreary darker day, to head to the cemetery to capture photos of our older family members stones is the perfect way to depict “Ancient”. Although mother nature had other plans for us, we wouldn’t get out on Sunday.

I asked my husband to take me on a tour, we have spent a lot of time driving through the cemetery in the past year, and yet I am someone who has more spiritual beliefs than religious. I know the spirits of people aren’t buried, their physical body is. However spirits are able to roam. I couldn’t have picked a better time, honestly, our Sunday plans didn’t work, had no pull to go out (beyond the deck), it rained all day, literally did not stop. This evening, the sun was perfect and… I was joined by so many orbs, which absolutely warmed my heart!

The first photo, the one above, I took 3 and they all turned out the same, my camera would not focus, regardless of where I aimed or the settings I used, I went with it and look at the orbs that came through! ❤

First I went looking for some family stones, the one below dating back to the 1800’s. My great grandfather is also on this stone, I was blessed to have him in my life until I was 10, he was born in 1900!

So many unique stones and the sun kissing them, was the icing on top!

Of all the stones, this one below held the most orbs… I could feel them all with me!

As my husband said, this is like a game looking to find various family members stones, I later returned with my mom to find her grandparents stone.

I really enjoyed this challenge, I honestly never used to understand why people frequented the cemetery so much, even though I don’t necessarily stop to talk to my brother, or other family, there is a feeling of such quiet and peace there. Spiritually, we can talk to our loved ones all the time, I truly love when I am connected in, it feels surreal, yet also so very cool, sad, happy, longing, all the emotions.

The irony that we couldn’t get out yesterday and it flowed perfectly this evening, on my late aunts birthday.

Ann-Christine prompted us last week with the theme Dreamy, to pull forward in however this represents in your own life. Personally this was my macro photography and the dreaminess in the images. Next week it will be Ritva’s turn to host, Saturday 25^th October.

If you’d like to know more about the Lens-Artists Challenge, please click here