To me, art is the truest essence of life. It's a fenestra to my sense of wonder and intrigue about the world around us.

As though by a magnet, I've always felt the world pulling me, luring me to explore its mysteries and wonder. For a long time, I put my dreams on hold. Then one day in my practice as a radiologist, I met a patient whose journey would forever change my outlook.

In the Fall of 2006, a man came to me with a nagging discomfort in his chest. At 38 years old, he was so young that I thought surely it must be something benign or otherwise inconsequential. In a matter of a few short hours, his CT scan revealed that he was suffering from terminal lung cancer. His story is a reminder to us all that each day must be viewed as a very special gift.

I've witnessed hundreds of patients whose lives have been abruptly changed by a life-altering or life-ending diagnosis. At times we may convince ourselves that we are immortal and that cancer or some other catastrophe only affects others, but in reality, we have no guarantees in this life. Time is too short to get lost in a blur of days, weeks and months.

And so I began to think more seriously about all those overseas adventures waiting for me, and soon enough, I grabbed my Leica and Nikon gear and voyaged to all 7 continents. I've observed Tibetan monks in prayer, hiked up the Virunga mountains of Rwanda to marvel at the Silverback gorillas in their natural habitat and watched Bengal tigers cool off in a shallow lake to escape India's searing heat.

I've met people, young and old, who have lived amazing yet ordinary lives. Sunsets over Rio de Janeiro's Ipanema Beach have stolen my breath, and the floating ice sculptures of Antarctica drew me into their icy majesty. I can still smell the fragrance of Edinburgh's Royal Botanical Gardens or bask in the magnificent sunrise over the Taj Mahal. In my photographs, the inspiration that moved me when I saw Machu Picchu through the early morning mist lives on.

Come along, and travel the world through my images of inspiration. The pristine wonders I have been so fortunate to capture through the lens of my camera have provided a source of joy and fascination for my patients, family, friends, colleagues and patrons around the world. It is my sincere hope that they captivate you, too.

There are no rewinds in life so find the time to discover your inspiration, explore the extraordinary, create the unimaginable and then leave nothing on the table.

~ Harv Greenberg, M.D.