Adoration = Intense Love

Adoration to me is being able to love something so deeply that you think about it constantly, you live it, you breathe it, you dream about it and have a deep rooted passion for it.  It is part of who you are and why you are here, it runs through your veins, it makes you tick and is engrained in every letter in your name.   To me.....that is intense love.   Some people find it in art, while others find it in sports, music, etc.

When you are able to open your mind and heart to the adoration of another, it allows you to be a part of that love.  And to see that for what it is, is one of the most remarkable things I have ever experienced.

One person whose adoration I share is a horse whisperer named Buck Brannaman.  I first learned of "Buck" from the movie The Horse Whisperer, which was modeled after him and I also watched his documentary - Buck.  His philosophy is amazing.  His technique is gentle, but effective.  His spirit is scarred, but beautiful.  Through his experiences in life and the burdens he bared,  within him grew a desire to turn it around, it became his gift of intense love. The man can do anything with a horse and the horses will do anything for him.  He is sensitive to them.  He understands them.  They are a part of him.

I was able to be a part of the adoration of another person through my love for photography.  I was able to meet a man who is a teacher of dogs.  He says that he is a teacher/coach and not a trainer, he is very humble, but if I were to label him, I would say he is definitely a  dog whisperer.  In the process of watching him and listening to his story, I could see the likeness between he and Buck.  Using  the wreckage of the past as a bridge to cross over to something better.  He has patience, understanding, empathy, motivation, love and compassion for these dogs.  He coaches them and along side  of them, he coaches their owners.  He teaches them how to have a relationship.  How to understand one another and how to love life together. 

I was lucky enough to get to freeze a few of these moments by capturing photos of these wonderful beings doing what they love almost effortlessly.  You can see and feel the adoration the dogs have for being taught as much as you can see the adoration their teacher has for teaching them. 

I witnessed a relationship between one of the dogs and his owner that brought tears to my eyes. The man is elderly, has cerebral palsy, has a very hard time physically and even has difficulty speaking. This dog assists him in so much of what he does, but gives him a priceless gift daily - because just his presence makes it possible for him to fish, hunt and enjoy a quality of life that would be next to impossible if he were alone.   Seeing the love the dog had for his owner and how much the owner loved him back, being able to see the dogs motivation to act on command and not looking at it as work, but as a labor of love.  It truly spoke volumes without a sound. 

I was once told by someone whom I loved dearly,  that my Creator gives me situations and experiences in my life so that I may find the "teaching" in it.  I thought I was going to be taking photos of retrievers, learning how to become a better action photographer, as it turns out, it wasn't about that at all.  This wonderful experience has opened my eyes to many things.  I have learned we can develop from our hardships and create something beautiful from it.  I believe it is there for all of us who choose to tap into it.  It is a way to balance life and to learn the true meaning of ADORATION.

Priscilla

"If you got a taste of it.....

if you got a taste of what I'm talking about, 
you couldn't get enough of it,

 you would rather do that than eat.
  You may spend your whole life chasing that 
and that's possible.

But it's a good thing to chase." 
 

~Buck Brannaman

"Ranger"