Photo Challenge: TWISTED

“You may write me down in history with your bitter, twisted lines. You may trod me in the very dirt, but still, like dust, I’ll rise.” Maya Angelou

Photo Challenge: TWISTED

The best secrets are the most twisted Sara Shepard
It is not the monsters we should be afraid of; it is the people that don’t recognize the same monsters inside of themselves. Shannon L. Alder

For this week’s theme on TWISTED, I dove deep into nature and shared all the twisted limbs and things I could find. When you hear the word – TWISTED – what comes to mind? Admit it. The first thought might be crazy or bizarre or worse. The theme for this week was not prompting us to look at the kooky size of life unless we wanted to. It was really about being drawn to shapes and forms that were twisted and reshaped by design; nature or man made. I was immediately drawn to the idea of featuring the many trees I pass on my daily walks on the aqueduct. I took my camera and headed out.

I was quite confident it would be an easy task. It wasn’t. What do you mean, you might ask? Well, I was looking for truly twisted tree limbs. I wanted something special and out of the ordinary. As I took shot after shot along the path, I was a bit disheartened. Mind you, there is plenty in nature that fits the bill but, I had an image in my head that wouldn’t quit. I continued my walk and, as I turned around and headed back home, I was convinced I’d have to think of other options.

“Between thought and spoken word is a gap where intention can enter, the symbol be twisted aside, and the lie come to be.” Ursula K. Le Guin

Photo Challenge: TWISTED

Photo Challenge: TWISTED

Glory is reserved for the twisted minds. Charlyn Khater
I think I have a pattern of nice and lovely and then dark and twisted. Ryan Murphy
They were the screams of riders torn apart by the twisted reflections of their own inner selves. Neal Shusterman

Intuition and intention enjoy an important marriage and, when they come together, that union can bring powerful outcomes. Remember, I had an image in my head that was so strong that it overshadowed all the other shots I was taking. It was such a powerful presence that I started paying close attention to every tree and branch I passed on my walk back home. I sensed that the universe was trying to communicate something to me and I needed to be fully present to grasp it. I kept a steady pace as I walked back home and kept looking at the trees and branches as walked by.

Suddenly, as I approached the main road, something caught my eyes. I stopped and took another look… Lo and behold, hiding in between shrubbery and tangled branches was this perfectly twisted branch. On closer look, there was another one to the left of it.  I could almost hear a chuckle from the universe: See! If your eyes are open, the possibilities are endless. Don’t second-guess your intuition. Go with the inner promptings. Trust that it’s for good. Do not be afraid to look and to act. We spend way too much time worrying about what others think that we allow our intuitive impulses to be stymied by judgements. Skip it. Go with your pure intentions and surrender the need to control the results or outcomes.

More Below!

“Too often the past has been twisted to fit the visions and agendas of the present.” Thomas Sowell

Photo Challenge: TWISTED

Photo Challenge: TWISTED

People are more twisted than people think. Brad Meltzer
Fate has a twisted sense of humor. Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
There have to be moments when you glimpse something decent, something life-affirming even in the most twisted character. That’s where the real art lies. See, I always suspect characters who are painted as lovely, decent human beings. I would always question where the darkness lies. Martin McDonagh

In that one moment, as I stood and stared at those two perfectly braided/twisted branches, I felt a revelation and a shift… We can stay expectant in the world, trusting that our intentions will be met with creative fulfillment and some lessons on life itself. We can trust that the images that arise in our mind’s eye are there for a reason; they want to teach us about life, mystery and beauty. We can trust that the intuitive promptings of our hearts are guides helping us to stretch and grow. The growth will heal us, quench our thirst, and fill us with joy… It’s going to be alright. Everything will be okay. The universe has a greater plan for us. Stay woke. Stay alert.

This post was inspired by a prompt from WP Daily Post:  –  TWISTED –  For this week’s photo challenge, show us something twisted. You can be literal in your interpretation — show us the coils of your hair, a winding woodland path, or a gnarled tree trunk. Or, be more abstract, and show us something that represents life’s inherently twisty character. We’re looking forward to it!

Positive Motivation Tip: There is beauty and wisdom even in twisted places…

PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos from my personal collection.

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet