I was sorting through my photos on Flickr and I came across this humble snap.

It was taken just east of Independence, CA right as the sun was settling in behind the mighty Southern Sierra. For a few wonderful moments, the granite ridge lines of the mountains grew sharper with the dimming of the sun.

The moment was special. We were cruising around those old roads in a battle-scared yet trusty old jeep, just before sunset, trying to keep warm in the totally exposed cockpit. I had lost track of when the photo was taken. But, I clearly remember what I was thinking in the moments before I took the photo.

These are the good times & the great places of your life; pay attention to them and try to have more of them while they’re still within your grasp.

The fact is the photo was taken nearly a year ago. I was very surprised; it seems like yesterday. Now, over the course of the last year I have been blessed with good health, seen some lovely sights and taken a few more photographs I enjoy.

But, one of my resolutions is that I’m going to try to go more places and I’m going to try to have more moments like these and take more photographs that will live on in my memory as clearly as this one. My advice to everyone like me, those who have likely lived more days in their past than they will see in their future is simple:

Get out there & live.

Today.

Now.