My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
“Fear, like any other strong emotion, can make us exquisitely conscious of living, perfectly aware of being in the moment. It can only do that, however, on those rare occasions when we don’t try to fight it, run away from it, cope with it, suppress it, tame it, or otherwise domesticate it.”
Gerald May
I read a statement by Ilia Delio that says, “We are not called to maintain the existing order but to engage disorder as it lingers on the edge of new order.” Somehow that resonates with me. Seems nature is that way. Instead of accepting the chaos that is a part of my life, I want and try to keep things in order. Which doesn’t happen. What many consider chaos in nature is really the change, growth, transformation, metamorphosis, where something new is arriving. At the present I’m living with a certain level of anxiety, uncertainty, and doing my best to embrace faith, trust, hope, acceptance and even surrender. Let’s call it living this spiritual adventure.
It has been overcast all day. The eclair in the above image is called an almond apricot eclair. I’ve never had one before today. It has an almond cream filling with apricot preserves over the top. Not as rich as I expected but had that sweetness that excited my taste buds. I will probably need to collect more data for my final analysis. Hope you had a good weekend! Stay warm!
Made a trip to the coffee shop this morning for
mws
a much needed dose of medicine in my recovery
I was greeted with the beautiful smiles
of Logan and Nate, over two weeks without them
Nate brings me this cortado with his special touch,
a cute pigs face made of frothy milk, now I smile
Soft music lets the din of people’s conversations to dominate
comforting me with voices and smiles from people I do not know
I watch as a woman, pregnant with child, sits at a nearby table,
reading her book with a cup of coffee, its steam rising in the sunlight
I journal from my favorite chair where the sun warms me,
these sacred moments somehow bring comfort and serenity
So this morning I accepted the gift of a smile from my baristas
holding their smile within me and offering the gift of my own smile
Yes, the gift of a smile…
PS: Sorry for the poor depth of field in the image.
It seems to me that a life well-lived is one in which we find light in unexpected places and look long enough into the shadows that we find mystery, not fear.
David DuChemin
Like the joy of the sea coming home to shore,
John O’Donohue
May the relief of laughter rinse through your soul.
As the wind loves to call things to dance,
May your gravity be lightened by grace.
Like the dignity of moonlight restoring the earth,
May your thoughts incline with reverence and respect.
As water takes whatever shape it is in,
So free may you be about who you become.
As silence smiles on the other side of what’s said,
May your sense of irony bring perspective.
As time remains free of all that it frames,
May your mind stay clear of all it names.
May your prayer of listening deepen enough
to hear in the depths the laughter of god.
Another cold morning of 5 degrees at 6:30 am. Sometimes on mornings like this I wonder if I need to move to a warmer climate. Then realize we really do not have days like this very often. Even though you may hear me whine I still can manage to rise before dawn, have my quiet time then go to sacred places to experience the predawn light and sunrise or meander to a coffee shop or both. I live a good life with all its difficulties and joys. I have much to be grateful for. And when I do hear myself whine I am able to listen deeply enough to hear and experience God laughing with me and within me. I’m then not as cold. The image is pre dawn light at Pineridge Natural Area taken last week because this morning I only meandered to the coffee shop. 😂
This morning I noticed a young man in his early thirties strutting into the coffee shopI am aware that I was immediately judgmental of him but this brought up some wonderful questions to ask myself and journal about it. His entrance was noticeable because of his tough guy walk. The demeanor offered a feeling of toughness, don’t mess with me attitude. Nor was I the only one who turned and noticed. As he ordered his drink it was then that I noticed he was packing a gun on his right side. So, the next time I see a police officer walk into a coffee shop wearing their weapons I’ll check to see if they have the same strut.
Anyway, this gave me some fodder for my journaling and also stirred this posting. What or who is he afraid of? Was his reality of life that foundationally scary and insecure? Did he feel the half dozen customers were possible enemies and that he needed to protect himself at any cost? I personally have never in my 20 some years of coffee shop life encountered a wild beast in a coffee shop. I have seen a dog or two. About the only life they could point a weapon at is another person.
My reality of life presents something different. Seems I have more fear, and am at a greater risk, from the driver who is trying to text message and drive at the same time than I do of being shot in a coffee shop. And, I also have more fear of politicians, corporate executives, and the wealthy who will do anything to attain more money, power and control due to the fear they will lose what they have or not attain what they want. And, in all honesty, I have a fear of the person packing the gun and how they will use the weapon under a stressful situation, will they use it with reactionary fear.
To end this post I must say we have no idea of the life experiences, the physical, sexual, verbal, emotional abuse and violence, others have had in life that presents their reality of life as threatening. So in my journaling and writing of this post I find gratitude for the life I have lived, the safety and security my family and community gave me and continue to give me and the innate goodness I see in this world. Reaffirms my belief that packing a gun will not prevent violence or put an end to violence and damn sure it will not bring peace.
reading in the quiet of predawn
ms
leads to reflection and contemplation
…the gift of this day
our soul needs these rituals
as we offer our limitations and gifts
…the gift of this day
in these sacred moments we discover
in the ground of our very being we are love
…the gift of this day
Received my two books that will be Christmas Gifts for my children and grandchildren. I spent the past two days proofing them and then ordered copies yesterday morning. They turned out okay and are simple 7×7 inch softcover photo books. One photo on the left page and a small paragraph or poem on the left page. One book is 60 pages and the other is 64 pages. I do enjoy making these small books, like the final product as I don’t print and frame that many images. This is a good way to archive some of my images and share them. I used Blurb in Lightroom because it’s easy to do photo books. However, any text work is awkward.
Happy Birthday to my oldest daughter, Christine!!!!
wrapped in my blanket in the predawn darkness
ms
I read and meditate on words which
become seeds for my soul and mind
the new day offers a dusting of snow outside my window
so after my quiet time I bundle in warm clothing and
grab my backpack to venture to the coffee shop
am greeted by early-to-rise baristas as I enter the door,
they make my favorite, an Old Town mocha, extra hot,
perfect on this bleak and wet day
notice beads of water forming their own worlds
on the patio chairs warning me to sit inside
on this wintery sunday morning
with hands of gratitude
ms
wrapped around coffee cups
they share morning time together
a simple conversation
sometimes without words
on this day of thanksgiving
Since Mugs at the Oval was closed today I went to Mugs in Old Town. Streets were busy as they were having a foot race called the Turkey Trot. Being a people watcher I noticed a couple sitting across from me with their coffees. I was taken by their hands. So, I asked for and was given permission to take a couple images of their hands. Thank you, Scott and Michelle, and may you two have a wonderful day and life together!
I have much to be grateful for in my life. I regularly journal a gratitude list and that is what I will do throughout this day. I find it a great habit and can place me in a better mood when I list what I have rather than what I don’t have (or think I need). I put on a crock pot of andouille sausage and vegetable soup that is good for a cold day as today. Have reached out to family and friends through text messaging and calls letting them know I love them and they are on the lists! The sun came out so I got a walk in and burned some calories. No pie for me this year but an apple fritter made it to my plate.