Waves on Anahola Beach in Kauaʻi

Roll On

The waves roll onto the shore at Anahola Beach Park on the island of Kauaʻi in Hawaii, as seen during our visit there this past summer. We had eaten lunch by the lifeguard hut that is barely visible at the center of the beach, and then we decided to go for a walk down along the shore. What a nice walk it was!

Isn’t this a relaxing scene? I certainly think so. I could stand out on the shore and watch the waves for quite a while without getting bored with it all. You might think that all waves are mostly the same, but they are not. Each wave is slightly different, either coming with slightly more or less force than before and slightly more or less speed than the previous wave. Sometimes two waves from opposite directions crash into each other. Or sometimes two waves going the same direction combine to become a larger wave. The possibilities are endless, which is great if you enjoy that sort of thing.

We either stood or walked slowly for a good long time, just enjoying the views and enjoying being together. And I may have taken more than a few photos, too. Just so I would not run out any time soon. No danger of that, apparently, as I look back through my photos from the day now.

This photo was actually supposed to be included in Part 4 of the 2018 Kauaʻi Trip Report. But I had too many photos to choose from, so this one did not make the cut. However, that was not because I did not like this one. Instead, that was because I thought this one was good enough to stand on its own. So here it is, all by itself.

Playing Favorites

Sometimes we have to choose between one something or another something. And that is not always easy.

In some ways, it reminds me of when we would divide up teams to play kickball in elementary school recess. There was always some anticipation of who would Park, and when. Especially if you were one of the ones that did not get picked first. Those that did were always the favorites, at least when kickball was concerned.

I know photos do not have feelings, so that they do not care if they get left out of a trip report or not. People, however, do have feelings, and sometimes having to choose something might be difficult. That could apply to getting picked for a job after an interview, getting picked for a play or other performance, getting picked to start in an athletic competition, or getting picked to have a conversation with someone. 

Sometimes those choices come down to who the picking person likes the best. Or sometimes those choices come down to who the picking person (or coach) thinks can do the best job to win the game. And sometimes the choice comes down to what is convenient at the time.

If you are not the one who got picked, it can be a little painful. You can start to question yourself, or question why you are not like those who did get picked. And that can be difficult.

I saw a quote recently that Roger McCown attributed to W.B. West: My life is not a comparison with anything other than what God has called me to be and to do. That is very true.

If we can live our lives to the best of our abilities using the talents that God has given us, then that is all that He expects of us. He chooses to bless us however He sees fit, and then what we do with those talents is up to us. It ultimately does not matter if I am better at something than someone else is, as long as I am doing what God has called me to do. No favorites are involved. Just us and God. It is as simple as that.

Bible Verse

Then Peter began to speak: “Now I really understand that God doesn’t show favoritism, but in every nation the person who fears Him and does righteousness is acceptable to Him." - Acts 10:34-35

About the Photo

Once I decided to use this photo on its own, I went back and worked on it a bit more than before. Confession time: the photos that appear in the trip report are just quick edits, while the ones in the individual posts are more involved. If you cannot tell a difference between the two, that is okay, too. But I do spend a little more time with the finer details of these individual photos because I figure people might look at them a little longer than they would one of 10 to 15 photos in a trip report.

If you are wondering, those trip report photos usually just receive some quick adjustments in Adobe Lightroom, while these individual photos get more work done in Adobe Photoshop. The beginning of each photo is the same, but I use a few more filters and such in Photoshop that change the photo’s appearance just a bit more. Sometimes it is subtle, such as with this photo, and sometimes is it a bit more extreme, or artistic, if you prefer.

That is what I prefer. So that is what I do.

Photo: A single Raw exposure, processed in Photoshop. Read more about photography tips, photo software, camera gear, and more at Steve’s Photography Tips.
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10
Lens: Olympus 14-42mm IIR
Date: July 5, 2018
Location: Anahola, Hawaiʻi