I often joke about the role serendipity plays in my work. Clearly there are times when the unexpected happens and the results turn out far better than my original plan. However, this implies that I am lucky in a way that is not accurate. For some time I thought I may just be living out Tiger Woods famous line "The harder I work the luckier I get." Or, as Louis Pasteur pointed out, "Chance favors the prepared mind." This, too, may have some truth in it, but does not accurately tell the whole story.
After some time and a lot of thought about the subject, I have come to a different conclusion. I am a man of deep faith. I make the assumption that God is real, and that He takes a vital interest in everyone as a individuals. I often come across a scene and wonder if He hasn't prepared it just for me. Like Ansel Adams famous quote, "Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter." This implies that what appears to be chance or serendipity on the surface may have a far deeper source. I have, therefore, assumed that my work is a partnership. I will work hard to do the best work I can, knowing that often there will be an unseen hand at work influencing where and how I work as well as the message I convey. As Christopher Marley said on CBS Sunday Morning, "I'm trying to create something that would look good in God's own living room!" Yep, that about sums it up. Though I sometimes fear it is hanging on His refrigerator.
