The Feature Film, Chariots of Fire Somewhat Reprised : The Wonder of Edison Pena

Just following up a bit on this past Saturday morning's post where I mentioned the New York City Marathon. On Marathon Eve (last Saturday night), fireworks dazzled the sky in Central Park, as they always do the night before the event. The photograph above, taken in Central Park, shows one of the fireworks which had a champagne bubbles quality. I am certain champagne was uncorked for various runners who completed the race, judging by the number of people I saw carrying bags bearing names of liquor stores.

Edison Peña, whom I wrote about in Saturday morning's post, was Runner # 7127, and, after stopping two hours into the race to receive medical attention for his knee, completed the Marathon in five hours, forty minutes and fifty-one seconds.

At the time of my posting I had not realized that, once the organizers of the New York City Marathon learned that while trapped in the mine, Peña cut his steel-tipped electrician boots down to ankle size so that he could run the 1,000-yard corridor, they initially invited him to participate in the race by riding in a lead vehicle, or to hold the tape at the finish-line. Not one of the organizers had imagined he would respond to their invitation with a request that he run the Marathon. Peña's desire to participate thrilled the New York Road Runners.

Prior to the Marathon the New York Road Runners President, Mary Wittenberg, stated, "The ING New York City Marathon is all about inspiration and perseverance, and those values were never more evident than during the survival and rescue of Edison and his brothers in that mine."

It is easy to hear stories of survival and be inspired, but it is even more powerful when it is learned that the survivor had been on the verge of giving in to despair. Peña confesses that for the first eighteen days of being trapped in the mine, he sat in a corner waiting to die, but after the miners were discovered, he focused on the Elvis Presley tunes on his i-pod (and later other Presley tunes that were sent to him from Graceland, where he has been invited to vacation).

When Peña crossed the finish-line this past Sunday, it is reported that the crowds of people sang in unison, "You give me hope and consolation, you give me strength to carry on . . ." from Presley's song, "The Wonder of  You".  The lyrics rang throughout Central Park, that day of the race, where the noise from the banging and popping of the fireworks had dominated on the Marathon's Eve.

Celebrating Texture

Since last Saturday's posting of honoring the days of November and beyond, I've been reminded that November is the month of remembrance that began with All Saints Day on November first. This feast day is followed by the solemn celebration of All Souls' Day on November second, and for the remaining days of November, special homages are made for all who have died. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted," is a consolation of November. With it getting dark earlier due to going back to "standard" time, and the apparent focus on the dead, it is good to recall that November is a textured month, and so while people honor the dead during this time, it is also a month very much intended to remember the living.

In New York City, one of the celebrations that exemplifies this is held on the first Sunday (tomorrow) of the month, when runners from all around the world come to run the New York City Marathon. This year 43,000 are expected to partake, including Edison Peña, the twelfth miner to be rescued after spending sixty-nine days trapped in a mine that had collapsed in San Jose Chili. From what I understand, Peña has said that when he was trapped in the mine, waiting to be rescued, he ran six miles a day — with a heavy object — to show God how much he wanted to stay alive, certainly a tribute to remembering the living.  I also understand that Peña ran with an i-Pod listening to Elvis Presley tunes. Peña seems far from being some one who was "all shook up" ! 

I look forward to hearing how Peña fares in the Marathon, but, confess that I will hibernate at home and have my own marathon (with the various projects that have been piling up on my desk), until the New York City one is completed. Since the finish-line is in my neighborhood, the throngs of people who come to see  the race's finish-line can be overwhelming - even on a cold November day. I understand that the colder November temperatures are good for runners.

For me from an urban gardener's point of view, the colder temperatures of November provide a time to celebrate and honor my garden's textures. I love and appreciate the colors provided by spring, summer, and fall; but as my plants, shrubs, and herbs (as well as some of my trees), will be dying back for the impending winter season, now is the time to celebrate the textures of my garden. Every plant has its own individual texture and pattern. These sometimes get overlooked when my garden has its magnificent color.  I am paying homage to the glorious textures by creating photographic garden images that are based in black and white tones. 

Having shot Black and White photography, and gone through the process of printing my work in a darkroom in years gone by, I have been left with a need to embrace the beauty of texture. I look forward to producing a line of invitations, event program covers, and greeting cards that give homage to this aspect of nature as I have done in the photograph, Pyracantha coccinea, (posted at the top of this entry). This shrub is one of my garden favorites and the black and white tones of the photograph show off its array of textures.

My experience as a black and white photographer, which I have blogged about in two previous posts titled Jennifer and Felix as well as Thanksgiving in Riverdale, inspired my first collection of cards. This Black and White greeting card collection can be seen on my web-site (where you can also view my Black and White original prints).