photo of the month from randy kato Hi, This year has been truly wonder-full on so many levels, that this month's photo is a fitting vision to wrap up 2011. But choosing the image wasn't as easy or as obvious as it may seem. In fact, it caught me by surprise when I took it, as well as when I was looking for what to feature for this month. Despite the fact that for more than a month - from Thanksgiving to the massive NYC Gratitude event put on by the NYC Burning Man community to the year end holidays full of reflection and appreciation - this theme has been at the forefront, I had forgotten about this picture. It wasn't until it stopped me in my tracks as I was quickly skimming through photos from this year's Burning Man. It was much the same out there in the desert. I was on my way somewhere else when all of a sudden I happened upon this sign, slammed on the brakes, and felt it. It's as if all of the energy and emotion that was filling and swirling within me was waiting for some sort of manifestation. And there it was. And here it is, still filling me with the warm fuzzies. It's just an adjective all by itself. And just by being there it leaves no other option but for each and every person who sees it to subconsciously complete the sentence and make the statement "I am GRATEFUL !" I find it somehow brilliant that this word, in a font that when printed or rendered on a screen is just plain tacky, works so well when cut out of a big sheet of metal and backlit by the sky itself. Even the extra space at the end of the word is like a pause that adds extra oomph to the exclamation point. And for me, personally, the fact that in the distance are two of my favorite works (Peter Hudson's Charon and The Temple of Transition) that I was honored and grateful to contribute to, makes it that much more meaningful. Thank you ! Randy Photo of the Month archive