I’m sure that part of the reason I like this photo is the simply contrast of the red on the brown. I like photos featuring a sharp contrast. 

But the deeper beauty in the image for me is that of a petal which has fallen from the flower, yet still looks so vibrant. 

Marylynn and I have been reading a book called Sacred Fire by Ronald Rolheiser. The first part of the book talks about how we spend early adulthood building a life for ourselves. The middle part of the book talks about giving what we have away during the second half of our lives. In the last chapter he discusses how to give your death away. In other words, how other people can be blessed by how you spend your final years or days of your life whether dying of old age or an illness such as cancer.