… and some of the best for last … and then there is me and Max. This photo was taken in September of 2019 when I was visiting Terra Haute, Indiana after visiting friends in Indianapolis. There is a life size sculpture of Max Ehrman on the corner of the crossroads where he used to be found writing on occasion.
Max is probably known primarily for his prose poem Desiderata which was first published in 1927. Corky and I had the poem on the bulletin board at home probably going back to the early ’60s and always in the office. The copies we had did not give attribution to max, however, but rather to Anon and found in old St. Paul’s Church circa 1684 … it was not until a caregiver I hired to help me with Corky a couple of days a week saw it and informed me that it was written by Max Ehrmann.
I became very curious about who this Max Ehrmann was and so I began to look for information about him … Max was born in 1872 and passed in 1945 at the age of 72. His family owned a meat packing plant and also a clothing company which manufactured work clothing such as bib overalls. He graduated from DePauw University with a degree in English and later attended Harvard University where he studied law and philosophy. He returned to Terra Haute and practiced law, was deputy States Attorney for Vigo County, Indiana for two years and later was active in the family businesses for about ten years. Around his fortieth year he dedicated his life entirely to his writing … he married late in life and had no children. He was born to German emigrants. His photo on the Wikipedia page also reminded me a lot of my dad … a plus! He had three brothers and a sister.
I began reading whatever of his works I could find and I liked what I read … so I chose to use quotations from his works in my emails … most of them were written more than a hundred years ago and are still relevant for us today … technology has changed radically, but unfortunately human nature does not seem to have made the same strides … it may be that the technological advances have exacerbated the flaws in our nature.
You can read more about Max in these websites: Ancestors Family Search and Wikipedia
One of my treasures is a first edition book of his “Breaking Home Ties” that my youngest daughter gave to me years ago.
The photo below is of a great blue heron emerging from one of the ponds at Bubbling Springs Fish Hatchery in Page Springs and has been continuously on display in my home since I took it. Below that is a silhouette of an F4U Corsair that I shot in October at the airshow in Sedona. One of my favorite airplanes!
Well, this is it for 2023 … it has been a very good year and I’m looking forward to the adventures and experiences that lie in the year coming up. Thank you for sharing the year with me and I hope you have enjoyed the photos and commentaries on life … and Max. If you enjoy these missives recommend them to a friend … your information is never shared … just my way of sharing the beauty I find in life with you.
Keep breathing … smiling and being kind!
Ted
Spare me from bitterness and from the sharp
passions of unguarded moments. May I not
forget that poverty and riches are of the spirit. Though
the world know me not, may my thoughts and actions
be such as shall keep me friendly with myself.
And though age and infirmity overtake me,
and I come not within sight of the castle of my
dreams, teach me still to be thankful for life, and for
time’s olden memories that are good and sweet; and
may the evening’s twilight find me gentle still.
excerpts from A Prayer by Max Ehrmann
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The easiest way to reach Mr. Grussing is by email: ted@tedgrussing.com
In addition to sales of photographs already taken Ted does special shoots for patrons on request and also does air-to-air photography for those who want photographs of their airplanes in flight. All special photographic sessions are billed on an hourly basis.
Ted also does one-on-one workshops for those interested in learning the techniques he uses. By special arrangement Ted will do one-on-one aerial photography workshops which will include actual photo sessions in the air.
More about Ted Grussing …