Commonwealth Lake Park, Beaverton
Sometimes an image comes across my desk that stops me in my tracks. When I get ten in a row that do the same, I feel compelled to drop whatever I'm doing, like the wing of a bird or a drop of water captured in a lens of time.
Such a moment came recently when photographer Michel Hersen sent images from the urban oasis of Commonwealth Lake Park in Beaverton. I love urban parks. Drake Park in Bend and Lithia Park in Ashland come to mind. We busy, Twitter-pated and overstressed citizens have carved out green space in the center of our roads, stores, and buildings because the grass and birds, trees and rivers call to our own deep roots.
Quiet, open spaces capture our imagination and refill our empty wells. The parks and rivers and lakes and trails await us. We just need to carve out the time and take the offerings of our image.
Photo by Michel Hersin, from Oregon Road Tripper.