• landscape,  Plants,  quotes,  seasons,  snow,  trees,  winter scenes

    Condition of Being Human

    March 9, 2022
    CSU Oval this morning

    “Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into the places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human.”

    Henri J.M. Nouwen

    It’s snowing again this morning. If you look closely you’ll see a bicyclist pedaling across campus to their class. Weather app says it’s 14 degrees with 17 mph winds and feels like -2 degrees. With these weather conditions maybe we could say the bicyclist is super human.

    Anyway, I thought the quote represents something the political and social powers of the world need to understand more about, actually experience themselves. Stay warm!!!!

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  • grass,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  Plants,  Reservoir Ridge Natural Area,  snow,  trees

    Mornings Snowfall

    March 7, 2022

    Snow began falling yesterday morning with those big beautiful fluffy snowflakes. The powdery stuff you blow off the car. For some insane reason I decided to hang out in the cold along the foothills between Pineridge Natural Area and Reservoir Ridge Natural Area. First stop was Pineridge Natural Area. Didn’t feel like sitting on the bench but what a view!!

    This is a group of trees just below Pineridge Natural Area. Horsetooth Reservoir and dam are just hidden behind the trees. So often images just do not convey the feeling we are experiencing before us. But, I’ll keep trying.

    This is from the parking lot of Reservoir Ridge Natural Area. I was facing a cold 8 mph wind about this time and the snow began picking up. I also slid through a red light on my way to this area. So glad no one was going through the green light. So, after taking this image I headed to the safety and warmth of home.

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  • clouds,  gratitude,  landscape,  Poudre River,  quotes,  seasons,  winter scenes

    Living This Life

    March 6, 2022

    You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might pray also in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance.

    Kahill Gibran

    Many who regularly read my posts are aware of my references to pray and mediation. Both have become integral parts of my life and are how I daily start and end my days.

    But, it hasn’t always been that way. I mainly prayed to the God I was introduced to in my upbringing in times of distress or to ask for my needs and wants to be granted, and many times bargaining. Prayer changed once I let go of that concept of God. I began to read and study about prayer from different faith traditions and authors. I’m still searching for a better grasp of prayer, its purpose and the source of that prayer. I enjoy this search.

    In all honesty, where I’ve grown the most in prayer is by practicing it. Through practice I’ve come to feel that prayer arises from within me rather than something I consciously do or say. It’s very much an internal dialogue. I’ve heard it said prayer is a the longing of the human heart for God, the Divine or whatever name we use. I enter into prayer in many ways. Prayer is spending time in nature, walking along the Poudre River or watching a sunrise. Being grateful at some deep place within me, I find to be prayer. Or the feeling I experience when I take a deep breath and oxygen enters my lungs is prayer. A good conversation with a friend brings a warm feeling and I know there has been some special connection with them, I find to be prayer also. I could go on but….

    I end this by saying I now find prayer to be experiencing joy, gratitude, connection, love, peace, justice and just living this life.

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  • landscape,  natural areas,  Plants,  Reservoir Ridge Natural Area,  seasons,  snow,  winter scenes

    Closer to Nature

    March 5, 2022

    I know this is the second post for the day but thought I’d give a weather report from my small little universe as it’s more enjoyable than the worlds chaotic news. We had a dusting of snow early this morning covering the open fields in white then gone by mid morning. About 2:00 pm the temperature was a nice 32 degrees, snow had let up, so I headed to Reservoir Ridge Natural Area for a bit of prayer and walking meditation. It was quite beautiful, wonderful silence, just what my soul needed. Seems I have needed to be closer to nature the past few days. I only did a couple miles, enough to have cold hands, cold ears and a runny nose. It had begun to snow again by the time I got back to the car. In this image you can see the snow in the foothills while the higher elevations are hidden in snowfall. Hope you are having a good Saturday. Think I’ll enjoy a piece of warm peach pie now. 😊

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  • grass,  Plants,  quotes

    Discouragement

    March 4, 2022
    Crested Wheat grass at Arapaho Bend Natural Area

    Too many times discouragement has been the bonus for unrealistic expectations, not to mention self-pity or fatigue from my wanting to change the world by the weekend.

    Daily Reflections, March 2

    Last Monday was not a good emotional and mental day for me. I felt like running away from the chaotic state of this world and those creating it. Knowing there is no place called “away”, I drove to one of my natural areas to find some solace, some comforting and healing. They are my sanctuaries. The sun felt good as my body soaked it up. A cool breeze blew lightly in my face. After a few much needed deep breaths I knew I had my feet back on the ground and to move on with the day. Sometime later after talking with friends I realized my difficult feelings were the disappointments I have with the world. I desire all things to be in perfect harmony and without discord but that is not life. My unrealistic expectations brought on those discouragements. Setting realistic expectations and living in acceptance of what I cannot change and what I can change is something I’m slowly learning. Learning patience and acceptance.

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