Fair Park Nebula 1961 - What it Symbolizes

In 2003 I was experimenting with some photo editing software trying to add special effects to various photos. I found one editing tool that darkens an object but highlights its edges. The photo I was using was one I had taken of Fair Park High School during a trip I made to Shreveport in November 1999. I liked the photo showing only the highlighted edges on the darkened school building and thought it might be interesting to transfer that image to a photo of the universe showing only stars in the background. I figured that would make the building look like it was suspended in time and space. However, I couldn't find a photo of space that would work well with the school. I did find instructions for creating my own star field background so I did that instead. It turned out to be just what I wanted. When I pasted the school image into the star field background I liked the look, but thought it still needed something more.

Somewhere in the whole process I read that a nebula is composed of gaseous cloud-like matter containing many different elements. The various components in a nebula are in constant motion, and never configured quite the same way at any given point in time. I realized that is very similar to any group including the Fair Park Class of 1961. We are not static, but rather an ever changing group. That line of thought led me to add “Fair Park gold” nebula clouds to the image to represent the Class of 1961. Clouds seemed appropriate because James 4:14 notes, ". . . For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." I selected the title “Fair Park Nebula 1961” as the name for the photo since 1961 would have been the only time the gold colored nebula clouds representing our class would have been in the specific configuration shown in the image.

My next line of thought became where the gold clouds may have journeyed since 1961. Certainly in 1961 our destinations were unwritten stories and the possibilities were as expansive as our abilities and opportunities permitted. Back then our future was a bright attractive destination that bid us come and see what it had to offer. Thus was born the idea of including the brighter stars and the spiral galaxy as representing possible destinations. For your info, the spiral galaxy in the photo is called the M81 Spiral Galaxy. Astronomers believe it has over 250 billion stars in it. I figured that many destinations should be enough, even for the Class of 1961.

Finally, Fair Park Nebula 1961 asks that you mentally acknowledge you have made your journey out into the universe and have now come full circle. You have now returned, or soon will return, to the starting point of your journey to review where you’ve been. Your field of vision is much greater now than in 1961. The journey is not yet over, but we can now see the whole, not just the part, and it’s a time to reflect on the places we've been, the sights we’ve seen, compare our journey and experiences with other Class of 1961 travelers, and rejoice in the blessings of life that have been ours.

If you want to view a full page size image of the photo just click on the photo (and then the icon if one appears at the bottom right of the photo). Use the Back command to return to the article text. By the way, if you look directly at the gold colored clouds for a minute or two you may seem them begin to move. I know they aren't really moving, but it sure looks like it to me.