My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and asking deep questions.
“After 40 years of ingesting every aspect of photographic science and composition, I still find the camera to be an endlessly intriguing partner that challenges my imagination and knowledge. All that with only 3 variables of shutter speed, aperture and focal length.” – Ralph Auletta
“Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real.” Strive each day to be who you really are.
Thomas Merton
“Church will always be renewed when our attention shifts from ourselves to those who need our care.” – Henri Nouwen
As I’ve mentioned previously I have a couple of churches I use for quiet time during the weekdays. I’ve seen this lady in the above image several times. On one occasion she had a young girl in a wheelchair with her. At first the sounds the young girl made was disturbing but after a few minutes they no longer bothered me. In fact I was glad she was there. It also helped me realize how good my life is. I have three healthy children and four healthy grandchildren. At the moment I have a daughter and two grandchildren living with me because of poor choices. Yet, this woman has burdens in her life far greater than mine. I do not know her name but I believe Church is not the building she prays in but her willingness to car for her daughter.
Wikipedia says prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with a deity, an object of worship, or a spiritual entity through deliberate communication. Some form of prayer is found in most major religions. In contrast with Western religion, Eastern religion for the most part discards worship and places devotional emphasis on the practice of meditation alongside scriptural study. Consequently, prayer is seen as a form of meditation or an adjunct practice to meditation.
Prayer and meditation have become important to me over the past thirty years. Prior to that any prayer life I had consisted of short burst of frustration or fear, “Oh my God!” There has been a move within me to for more quiet contemplation and meditation. So I find places where I can have those quiet moments. I use a couple of churches with in walking distance. I use a nearby park and a couple nature areas for more quiet. A quiet corner of my condo can make for a nice place also.
All three monotheistic Religions have a variety of prayer books: The Muslim Prayer Book – for praying five times a day; The Book of Common Prayer -which has prayers for seven times a day; Liturgy of the Hours – used by monastic communities to pray seven times a day; Siddur – the Jewish prayer book for praying three times a day. I could be wrong on these prayer books but it gives us some idea of the importance for prayer within these religions.
“Let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music. Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping. For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts. And stand together, yet not too near together: For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.” ― Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet
I had the pleasure of watching two young people take their wedding vows last Saturday. It brings a smile across my face and a warmth in my heart. Allison and Eric, my prayer is for a happy, loving, married life.
Here it is Monday and the start of another week when I’m not sure what happened to last week. I lost it. I did check off a few items but it went by way too fast. Heck life seems to be moving by too fast. They say once you reach a certain age it’s “all downhill from here.” I’ve always associate that as a positive phrase. Its simplest meaning is that “The hard work’s over, and it’s all going to be much easier from now on.” But, that statement does not indicate how fast we end up going, gotta hang on to your hat every once in a while. Have a bunch more to get done this week plus a 2-day trip on Thursday.
Found some quiet time at a local church this past week and played around with some DOF. I kind of like the effect.
With three other people living in my small condo, privacy is scarce. After living alone for the past12 years it has taken a toll on me. So, I’ve wandered off seeking places for quiet and solitude. These have been parks, nature areas, a couple of “quiet” coffee shops and local churches. I’ve discovered I’m not the only one seeking places of quiet and a refuge from the business of the world.