Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead. – Nelson Mandela
Once again, we are entering the season of celebrations. In several religious traditions, we kindle lights to remind us that hope and joy and love burn brightly even in the darkest of times and in the darkest of seasons. New Years Eve is also an excuse for some of us to dress up with sequins and glittery pieces of jewelry and head out to parties. Still others set off fireworks to light up the night sky and usher in a new year.
Following Amy’s lead for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge–Celebrations, I’m focusing on the holidays in Chicago, the place where we’ve often spent the holidays.
Let’s Toast Our Health and Good Fortune
I shot this first photo of my glass of Prosecco at RPM, one of our favorite restaurants in Chicago. The bubbles in my glass were shining like tiny lights. A difficult-to-snag reservation at RPM was always easy on Christmas Eve.
Romantic Ambience, RPM Restaurant, Chicago. Shot with a Samsung Galaxy S7.
The Holiday Party
Celebration has many different outfits but she always wears the same beautiful dancing shoes. ~Mary Anne Radmacher
Although I have slipped into a fancy dress for New Years Eve, I’d rather walk down Michigan Avenue and take shots of the window displays or the holiday lights. This mannequin caught my eye one evening as we were walking back to our hotel.
Glamour Girl, Chicago, IL. Shot with a Canon 70D.
Enjoying the Holiday Lights
Celebrate your life, you are your own light – Lailah Gifty Akita
The bright lights along Michigan Avenue are switched on in November and burn brightly through the holidays. This tree in front of the Visitor’s Center always catches my eye.
Where will you celebrate the New Year? Do you have your own holiday traditions?
I love this quote from Rabbi Abraham Heschel who reminds us of the power of celebration and its ability to lift us out of the ordinary and unite us in joy.
People of our time are losing the power of celebration. Instead of celebrating we seek to be amused or entertained. Celebration is an active state, an act of expressing reverence or appreciation. To be entertained is a passive state–it is to receive pleasure afforded by an amusing act or a spectacle…. Celebration is a confrontation, giving attention to the transcendent meaning of one’s actions.~Abraham Joshua Heschel
I’ll end my post with a special thanks to the talented and creative Amy for her inspiring Lens Artists Photo Challenge: #23 Celebrations and a sign-off shamelessly “stolen” from one of my dear and wise friends: Find light. Be light.
Categories: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, Photography
P.A. Moed 
Wonderful introduction to this challenge and gorgeous shot of the glass!
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Thank you so much, Tatiana. I’m glad I didn’t empty the glass too quickly! I would have missed the shot. 🙂
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😂
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Very beautiful, Patti. Love the bubbles of the glass. The dress is just elegant and the lights of the tree are so wonderfully captured. Way to celebrate the holidays.
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It was a fun tradition and a great way to celebrate the holidays. We won’t be there this year, but we’ll see what happens next year. 🙂 I hope you enjoy your celebrations too!
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It’d be different, sounds exciting, Patti. Looking forward to hearing your travel stories. 🙂
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Great sentiments, Patti!
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🙂 🙂 Thanks so much, Sue.
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You are welcome, Patti
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Wonderful shimmers of light!
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Thank you so much, Dawn! I hope you have a good share of the glimmers where you are.
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The glass photo was a clever capture and I do like the dress
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Also love this:
people of our time are losing the power of celebration. Instead of celebrating we seek to be amused or entertained.
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Hi, Prior. I’m glad you liked that quote too. It struck me as very true. Glad you liked the wine glass. I was happy to capture that moment.
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😉
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Ah, lovely shots, Patti! Bright celebrations and a quote I will remember for long, the one from Abraham Joshua Heschel. He is so right..Thank you for celebrating Celebrations!
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Hi, Ann-Christine. I’m glad that Heschel’s quote resonated with you too. It is true, isn’t it? Celebrating isn’t entertainment; it requires that we take part in it and help to create meaning and transcendence. 🙂
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Yes, even if we know this inside, it is made perfectly clear now – so right. There is much in a word…
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All of the holiday lights certainly brighten up the long, dark nights. I was in Grand Central today and they have a lovely display of lights around the main concourse. You’ve inspired me to post a few to Instagram.
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Hi, Jackie. Grand Central is one of my favorite places in NYC! I’ll take a look at your photos too. Hope all’s well with you!
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I was at a wonderful celebration of the bounty of the sea this afternoon, Patti. Fishing boats took to the sea, tooting and letting off flares, while their Senhora was carried aloft to the harbour to bless them. I’ve never witnessed it before. Such a lovely atmosphere. 🙂 🙂
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That sounds wonderful, Jo. I hope you’re going to post some pictures! Is the Senhora a statue of the Virgin Mary?
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She is, Patti! I will be posting photos, but not as part of the challenge, sadly. My walking post is as much as I’m happy with at present. Sorry for that. 😦
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No worries, Jo. And no guilt. 🙂 🙂
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Beautiful lights Patti-and love the bubbly😊. Hope your enjoying your wintery celebration in Vancouver
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Hi, Tina. Thank you! It’s always lovely to spend time with our son. 🙂 We had almost a week of sunshine (which is rare at this time of the year) and now rain.
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Very Nice Post
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Thank you so much, Nikah! 🙂 You brought a smile into my day.
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Patti, what an interesting post, especially like the lights in the tree branches in front of the Visitor’s Center!
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Many thanks, Sylvia!! Hope all is well with you. 😊
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Super post … wonderful photos 🙂
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😊😊😊
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So beautiful Patti!!!
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😊😊
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