Uncle Fungus -- Reflection

This is another of the New England woods photos I captured one summer week a few years ago. I cannot look away from this image without having that face ingrained in my mind's eye. I'm sure, when I took the photo, I was simply capturing some interesting fungi -- one of my favorite photo subjects. But if trees -- especially trees beleagured with fungi and rotting within -- have spirits, than this one does. It exudes its dis-ease and, well, its "homliness." It's so ugly that it's cute -- like Shrek.

Reflection Points: This PhotoSinryu invites us to be mindful of the difficult people in our lives, the "ugly people." I'm not talking about physical ugliness -- there are many (I'd put myself in that category) who are able to do a lot with average or below-average looks. I'm talking about people who choose to be ugly, who bring others down just by how they live their lives. Do you have people in your closest sphere (family, friends of family, co-workers) who seem to be rotting from the inside? It's understandable that you normally cannot do anything about their choices. But what can you do to protect yourself from them?

© 2020, by Brian Kokensparger. Return to PhotoSinryu List.