• bicycling,  campus,  landscape,  quotes,  sunrises

    Finding our voice…

    The view on my bicycle ride to the coffee shop

    Life consists in learning to live on one’s own, spontaneous, freewheeling: to do this one must recognize what is one’s own – be familiar and at home with oneself. This means basically learning who one is, and learning what one has to offer to the contemporary world, and then learning how to make that offering valid.

    Thomas Merton, Love and Living

    I had a good night’s sleep but I still did not want to get up. I rode the red steed to Mugs and was wide awake by the time I arrived. Emily was my barista and she fixed me up with an Old Town mocha. The morning was off to a great start. Later I met my daughter and grandson for breakfast at the Silver Grill and of course ate too much. I have been eating out way too much. I notice it in both my pants and my wallet.

    One of the Native American style flute makers almost always has a short video describing each flute. After describing it he usually says, “And, here’s its voice.” Then plays it for 45-60 seconds so you can hear it. Maybe we can say that learning who we are is really finding our voice and offering it to the world. And, at this present time we need a few good, sensible, nurturing voices who live on one’s own. I am not advocating those voices necessarily to be booming on any news media, social media, blog or Youtube but in those places where we spend most of our everyday lives: our homes, our work, the coffee shop, a restaurant, grocery store, etc. And in my mind that begs the question, are we willing to offer our voices? It is a lovely day in Colorado, sunshine and clear blue skies. Have a great day!

  • campus,  clouds,  landscape,  quotes,  sunrises

    Wherever you are…

    The scene from Saturday morning’s bicycle ride across campus as I headed for Mugs

    Wherever you are can be a sacred place if you are there in a relaxed and serene way, following your breathing and keeping your concentration on whatever you’re doing.

    Thich Nhat Hanh

    The above quote is true for me because I experience many places as sacred. Sitting in my Adirondack chair and journaling, my mornings at coffee shops, times spent in Natural Areas, drives to the open vistas of the eastern prairies, and my bicycle rides are all sacred places and times for me. Because I feel that way it is also my responsibility to treat each of these with respect as a sacred place. I watched a man walking yesterday, without a dog, but picking up after someone else’s dog. He was doing his part in keeping the sidewalks as a sacred place. I see him as a good teacher! Now, may I be a good student and thus be a good teacher!

    It looks to be a wonderful fall day here in Colorado. I am pleased to have friends Earl and Bonnie visiting from North Carolina. I met Earl via our blogs and actually was able to meet with him in Charlotte one evening for dinner over 10 years ago. I had never met Bonnie until yesterday when we met up for lunch. They are pleasant, warm and inviting people. We are going to meet this morning and venture up into the mountains. I will report about our adventures later.

  • bicycling,  campus,  landscape,  moon,  quotes

    Every Choice

    “…it is not who or what we pray to but what we pray for that reveals and redeems our lives; that what we pray for, not on our knees but in our choices and the stories we tell about them, conjures up the world we yearn to live in and it is our yearning that we act upon to make the world. Every choice we make in our political and personal lives is a prayer.”

    Maria Popova

    I had a beautiful bicycle ride to Mugs. A full moon was setting over the mountains so I had to stop and took a photo. A few Canada Geese decided to enter the scene which added another little touch. Emily was my barista and an Old Town mocha is my drink. I sipped on my drink with my journal and pen are in my lap. It was a good start to the day and has continued. We just had nice little rain shower with the sun shining. I hope you are having a good start to your day, also!

  • campus,  clouds,  landscape,  quotes,  sunrises

    To be an inner artist…

    Each one of us is doomed and privileged to be an inner artist
    who carries and shapes a unique world.

    John O’Donohue

    Jeff and I both noticed our bicycle ride to coffee felt like fall this morning. I have been getting up 15 minutes earlier than I usually do and checking to see if the eastern sky looks promising. It did this morning so I drove up to Pineridge Natural Area. My morning there was a calm, serene place and time. Just what I needed. And, I spent time journaling which helps shape my unique inner world as an artist. I did return home with a couple of images I liked. I’m noticing there are fewer birds in the natural areas as some head south. As I wrote that, I comically wondered if maybe the birds know the students are back in town and that’s why they are headed south. The noise level and traffic definitely increases when they arrive! Anyway this was a scene on campus this morning while riding to Mugs at CSU. I hope you have a wonderful Sunday!