When a picture can't do justice

According to an old and well-used saying, a picture is worth a thousand words.

As a life-long lover of both pictures and words, I have come to the conclusion that It Depends.

Yesterday as my husband and I drove to Ogden, we marveled at the flaming beauty of the scenery we passed through. Autumn had painted the mountainsides more vividly, more perfectly, than any mortal hand could reproduce - or even capture fully.

The trees in all their glory spoke of a Creator; a perfect, wise, loving Creator who gave them life and all that they needed to fulfill the role He had planned for them. I was grateful for His tender mercy.

No picture could have shown that.

(Even with a better camera and better photographer.)

Then today I picked up the Monday newspapers to set them out in the library. President Monson smiled from the front page (DesNews of course), and I marveled again. How could a picture capture the comfort and strength, wisdom and love that was expressed over the last two days of General Conference? How could it show the hearts of millions of members across the globe being knit together, being filled with as much inspiration - even more - than they could handle? How could it portray the answers received to unspoken questions and unarticulated yearnings?

Or could it explain the newly-strengthened resolve of innumerable individuals to do a little more, be a little better?

I don't think so.

Pictures and words may inspire, provoke thought and even inspiration....

But revelation itself?

Unexplainable.