My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and asking deep questions.
We moved from being a part of nature to being apart from nature.
David Attenborough
Most of the trails in the Natural Areas are closed due to wet and muddy conditions from this gentle rain we have been enjoying the past three of days. And, not much more to say about the clouds that this image doesn’t say. Green dominates the eyes, especially when it is wet. I enjoy being a part of nature!
Most mornings I’m up to see the sun, and that rising of the light moves me very much, and I’m used to thinking and feeling in words, so it sort of just happens. I think one thing is that prayer has become more useful, interesting, fruitful, and … almost involuntary in my life. And when I talk about prayer, I mean really … what Rumi says in that wonderful line, “there are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.”
Mary Oliver
This scene is the predawn light at Pineridge Natural Area from four years ago. It is not the same scene this morning as we have overcast skies and a steady mist. Everything is soaked and we may see 2-3 more days of this. I like this quote by Mary Oliver as it resonates with my life experience of prayer. The wrote prayer of my childhood has been “let go” which in turn has allowed prayer to become what it is in my life. And, like her it has become involuntary in my life. I find prayer of gratitude rising within me throughout my day. And when I am present to a morning sunrise it is almost always a prayer of gratitude. Hope you have a wonderful Sunday!
The truth is: the natural world is changing.
David Attenborough
And we are totally dependent on that world.
It provides our food, water and air.
It is the most precious thing we have and we need to defend it.
For the first time in my life I saw the truth as it is set into song by so many poets, proclaimed as the final wisdom by so many thinkers. The truth – that Love is the ultimate and highest goal to which man can aspire. Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love.
Viktor E. Frankl
This is graduation week so I decided to run away to Weld County this afternoon and look for storm clouds, trees and less traffic. I found all three! I am rather confident that salvation of man is not through violence, wealth, power, self interest, and consumerism. Through love and in love sounds like a better solution. I will assume you recognize this cottonwood tree as it is one of my favorite models. She’s always there. Same spot, too. All of her new leaves were waving excitedly at me in the breeze.
Radiometric dating suggests our Earth is about 4.5 billion years old.
That’s a lot of birthdays. It must be time for cake!
I do not think the measure of a civilization is how tall its buildings of concrete are, but rather how well its people have learned to relate to their environment and fellow man.
Sun Bear, Chippewa
I feel there is a lot of truth in the above quote. It seems our society still has not learned how to relate to the environment or our fellow man. May you have a wonderful week!
I sit quietly on a rock looking out over the meadow and Dixon Reservoir.
mws
I feel gratitude for this morning sanctuary, this sacred and holy place.
With my journal and pen in hand, I try to express what I am seeing and experiencing.
My sense of hearing is alert to the chatter of the magpies and the songs of robins and meadowlarks.
I feel the gentle but cool breeze that reminds me it’s still early spring.
I’m noticing the color green beginning to dominate in the trees and grasses of the meadow.
I watch the ever changing and beautiful clouds along the eastern horizon
as they add a feeling of mystery to this moment.
Within me is a knowing that what I’m experiencing is an expression of the Divine
and the miracle is that we are here at all.1This was inspired by the quote “The miracle is that we are here at all” by Richard Wagamese, Embers: One Ojibway’s Meditations
Behold this day. It is yours to make.
Black Elk
It’s always a good way to start my day by watching the dawning of a new day. It helps me to filter out the bulls**t the world will throw out there. So, after making a chai latte I made my way to Pineridge Natural Area. There is something healing and nurturing about sitting above Dixon Reservoir and being a witness to its gifts. Yes, the day is ours to make.