Resolution

                As we approach the new year, there is frequent talk of New Year’s resolutions and this time of year that is the most common use of the word resolution.  Most days, however, a different use of the word is much more common. Webster’s Dictionary offers this as one definition: a measure of the sharpness of an image.  Since the advent of social media, we commonly refer to resolution when looking at photos, or photography equipment, and we all understand the huge effect resolution can have on the quality of images.  The pictures that always fascinate me are the high quality close-ups that show you something you may see every day but take for granted.  A close-up of a moth, leaf, flower or bug, or maybe something you rarely see, like the hair ice that took over our social media this month.  The right resolution helps us appreciate these wonders.

                Without the proper focus many amazing things, like hair ice, go unappreciated.  We tend to take for granted the beauty we walk by every day and seldom stop to notice the world around us.  In many ways our parks are the same way. A visit to your local park can become more of a blur than a moment to appreciate the awesome place it is.  And, unfortunately, the park you go to the most is sometimes the most overlooked. You may go there for a quick walk or some exercise after work, but when’s the last time you really focused on it?  How many times have you walked right by that incredibly colorful butterfly, bird or bug? Have you ever noticed the plants changing size and shape, or the way the streams and lakes flow at different times of year? There is so much to see every day on a park that each day can be an experience unlike any other.

 So this year let’s resolve to appreciate what is around us with a little bit higher resolution. Focus on the experience and see things we may have passed by.  Many of you will join us for First Day events this year.  Whether it’s a cold plunge, a hike, a 5K or a trail ride, we hope you enjoy it and it gets your year off to a fantastic start.  This year I challenge you to resolve spend a little time focusing on the small stuff. See the park in high definition with close ups and wide angles. Come back during the year and see how the picture has changed, how the flora and fauna have responded to changing seasons and conditions.  Focus on some of the things you have just walked by in the past and see them with sharper focus. Find your hair ice experience!!