A man meets his life most poignantly in moments of painful contraction and expansion. At those moments he senses the difference between being present and being taken. If he keeps himself open to the question, he will move in what he believes is a fruitful direction.Many roads will beckon: art, studies, perhaps drugs — other pursuits. He may not find the answer to his fundamental question but he senses that a reality is escaping him; perhaps that something within himself can change existence. Maybe he has a fleeting feeling while listening to a passage of music, or is struck by a word, by nature. Perhaps some flash appears in the midst of love, of sorrow, or joy — a moment of ah…! Something is here, strange, wondrous.And at that moment, a door opens. He may or may not go further. The chances are that the pull of gravity will close the door. He will be shut away from his ever-present possibility. Back to the office and workplace, to vacations, to family, to having a good time/bad time, getting and spending. The door may never open again — or will it?–William Segal from Opening: Collected Writings of William Segal 1985-1997. Continuum International Publishing Group. Photograph: Ansel Adams, Door From parabola-magazine.

A man meets his life most poignantly in moments of painful contraction and expansion. At those moments he senses the difference between being present and being taken. If he keeps himself open to the question, he will move in what he believes is a fruitful direction.

Many roads will beckon: art, studies, perhaps drugs — other pursuits. He may not find the answer to his fundamental question but he senses that a reality is escaping him; perhaps that something within himself can change existence. Maybe he has a fleeting feeling while listening to a passage of music, or is struck by a word, by nature. Perhaps some flash appears in the midst of love, of sorrow, or joy — a moment of ah…! Something is here, strange, wondrous.

And at that moment, a door opens. He may or may not go further. The chances are that the pull of gravity will close the door. He will be shut away from his ever-present possibility. Back to the office and workplace, to vacations, to family, to having a good time/bad time, getting and spending. The door may never open again — or will it?

–William Segal from Opening: Collected Writings of William Segal 1985-1997. Continuum International Publishing Group.

Photograph: Ansel Adams, Door

From parabola-magazine.

Ansel Adams, Road after Rain, Northern California, 1960 [From the Metropolitan Museum of Art]. Thank you, liquidnight.

Ansel Adams, Road after Rain, Northern California, 1960 [From the Metropolitan Museum of Art]. Thank you, liquidnight.

Ansel Easton Adams, Sand Fence, Keeler, California. ca. 1948, printed 1974. Gelatin silver print. Thank you, yama-bato.

Ansel Easton Adams, Sand Fence, Keeler, California. ca. 1948, printed 1974. Gelatin silver print. Thank you, yama-bato.

“In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between, there are doors.” —William Blake PHOTO: Ansel Adams: Door. Thank you, birikforever.

“In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between, there are doors.”

—William Blake

PHOTO: Ansel Adams: Door. Thank you, birikforever.

Ansel Adams, Sundown, The Pacific, ca. 1953. Thank you, firsttimeuser.

Ansel Adams, Sundown, The Pacific, ca. 1953. Thank you, firsttimeuser.

Ansel Adams, Sand Fence, Keeler, California, 1948 via: metmuseum. Thank you, melisaki.

Ansel Adams, Sand Fence, Keeler, California, 1948 via: metmuseum. Thank you, melisaki.

(Source: m3zzaluna)

Ansel Adams, Church and Road, Bodega, California  c. 1953. Thank you, iamjapanese & arsvitaest.

Ansel Adams, Church and Road, Bodega, California  c. 1953. Thank you, iamjapanese & arsvitaest.

Ansel Adams, Sand Dunes; Sunrise, Death Valley,1948. Thank you, melisaki.

Ansel Adams, Sand Dunes; Sunrise, Death Valley,1948. Thank you, melisaki.

Ansel Adams, Saint Francis Church, Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico, 1950. From melisaki.

Ansel Adams, Saint Francis Church, Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico, 1950. From melisaki.

Ansel Adams, Rails and Jet Trails, Roseville, California, 1953. From melisaki.

Ansel Adams, Rails and Jet Trails, Roseville, California, 1953. From melisaki.