My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
“A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.”
Chinese Proverb
It has been a hot day for us but clouds did move in to cool us down and it has turned into a lovely evening.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
It began snowing just after 8:00 am this morning. At one time the snowflakes were big and beautiful. It’s what you’d expect with a springtime snow and made me smile. It has stopped and this dusting is all we are getting but we so need any moisture we can get. We are not expecting to be above 45 degrees today and it will be below freezing tonight and tomorrow night.
“I don’t think everyone wants to create the great American novel, but we all have a dream of telling our stories-of realizing what we think, feel, and see before we die. Writing is a path to meet ourselves and become intimate.”
Natalie Goldberg
One of the gifts of blogging has been the opportunity to try my hand at writing. It truly has helped me discover who I really am rather than the man wearing an assortment of masks, depending on the stage I think I’m on. As Goldberg suggests I also am not interested in writing a novel. However the daily practice of journaling and regularly posting on this blog has been a good fit for me. So bare with me as I continue on this path.
In silence,we discover ourselves, our actual presence
Gunilla Norris
to the life in us and around us. When we are present,
deeply attentive, we cannot be busy controlling.
Instead we become beholders – giving ourselves up
to the mystery of things. We become more willing
to let things be. And as a consequence
we can also let ourselves be.
“Those who bless and serve life find a place of belonging and strength, a refuge from living in ways that are meaningless and empty and lonely. Blessing life moves us closer to one another and closer to our authentic selves. When people are blessed they discover that their lives matter, that there is something in them worthy of blessing. And when you bless others, you may discover this same thing is true about yourself.”
Rachel Naomi Remen
I needed to spend some time this evening in one of the natural areas for quiet, journaling and some sunset time. For the past several months I have been writing a paragraph of things I am grateful for each night before I go to bed. I find it a nice way to reflect back over the day and put my mind in a good place before going to sleep. This gratitude list reminds of how blessed I am, how often I need to bless others, and that someone, somewhere is also blessing me. I hope your day has been a blessed day!
I have come to discover that life is not ordinary
mws
and must be lived with mystery.
I have come to discover how little I know
and trust this life must be lived with mystery.
I have come to discover that it is an adventure
when life is lived with mystery.
And may you have a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend!
The sage would remind us of the following:
Tao Te Ching (78) By Lao Tzu by: Julian von Bargen, John Braun, Jr., David Warkentin
None should rule who hold themselves above the people.
Only by living, working, suffering alongside them can one truly be a leader.
One of the blessings of growing older for me has been the discovery that mornings are a gift. Since I’m not the party animal of yesteryears, going to bed early and getting up early are the norm. There is something that comes alive in me when I experience the quiet and stillness of this time of the day. I feel more alive than I did when chasing things that I expected to help me be alive. I am aware of the need to participate within the world, to experience it, and receive it as a gift.
It’s interesting to note how clouds are always shifting, changing shapes and colors. It is almost unperceivable to the human eye. Yet, a 28 second exposure lets us know of their gradual changing. Observing that is a gift to me. I am heading out to meet friends who are in town and catch up. Have a wonderful weekend!
When we make a place for silence, we make room for ourselves. By making room for silence, we resist the forces of the world which tell us to live an advertised life of surface appearances, instead of a discovered life — a life lived in contact with our senses, our feelings, our deepest thoughts and values.
Gunilla Norris
“And remember, also,” added the Princess of Sweet Rhyme, “that many places you would like to see are just off the map and many things you want to know are just out of sight or a little beyond your reach. But someday you’ll reach them all, for what you learn today, for no reason at all, will help you discover all the wonderful secrets of tomorrow.”
Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth
Happy Valentines Day! 💝
Sometimes on the spiritual path
Steven Charleston, Spirit Wheel
It is more fun to walk beside a seeker than a true believer.
I have no quarrel with those who are certain they know
Exactly where they are going on the path of faith
But often their questions are few and their stories familiar.
It is when you listen to the seeker’s vision
That things can come alive.
Questions and doubts, longings and hopes
Experiences both difficult and transcendent:
It sounds very honest to me.
And very human.
If you are a seeker, I will be proud to walk beside you
Discovering life as we go.
It was such a beautiful day yesterday that I made a trip to Pineridge Natural Area for a bit of quiet and to soak up the sun. I wanted and needed both. This morning is just as lovely with blue skies and sunshine. The Canada Geese are filling the airwaves as they migrate to their winter spots. After my quiet time and a bowl of Irish Oats with blueberries and pecans, I met Eric for coffee and conversation. I saw one eagle and half a dozen hawks on my drive over there and back. Undoubtedly they were seeking a meal. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Childhood means simplicity. Look at the world with the child’s eye – it is very beautiful.
Kailash Satyarthi
The colors, the shapes, and the patterns of nature in the summer are amazing if we stop and look. This morning I stopped and looked with the child’s eye. Now at Coffee House 29 to meet Eric for coffee and conversation. It’s gonna be another hot day.