My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
The gift of life, the secret of life, is that it must be developed from the inside out, from what we bring to it from within ourselves, not from what we collect or consume as we go through it, not even from what we experience in the course of it.
Joan Chittister
I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity.
Albert Einstein
I embraced solitude in my youth while at the same time I was blessed to have close friends and savor memories of times with them. But I remember spending time alone where I used my imagination to create worlds I could control but also kept me from living in reality. In my youth the reality of the world had people in it that did not think or see as I thought and therefore my youth has painful memories. I can recall the wounds inflicted from bullies and the adults who would find fault when I didn’t think as they did and even a God, who I was taught, was finding fault in me. I remember believing there was something wrong with me if I didn’t want to be a part of the crowd and so I would fearfully make the effort to try and fit in. So it is in gratitude that my years of maturity have allowed me to enjoy the delicious gift of healthy solitude in my life while also living in healthy relationships and the gift to have both.
There is a quiet light that shines in every heart. It draws no attention to itself though it is always secretly there. It is what illuminates our minds to see beauty, our desire to seek possibility and our hearts to love life. Without this subtle quickening our days would be empty and wearsome, and no horizon would ever awaken our longing. Our passion for life is quietly sustained from somewhere in us that is wedded to the energy and excitement of life. This shy inner light is what enables us to recognize and receive our very presence here as blessing. We enter the world as strangers who all at once become heirs of a harvesting of memory, spirit and dream that has long proceeded us and will now unfold nourish and sustain us. The gift of the world is our first blessing.
John O’Donohue, Benedictus
Plant seeds of happiness, hope, success, and love;
Steve Maraboli
it will all come back to you in abundance.
This is the law of nature.
Feeling restless so I ventured out to Pineridge Natural Area again yesterday afternoon. When I turned off the engine I found myself surrounded by quiet. The water was low in Dixon reservoir. Seagulls silently floated over the water. The rabbitbrush swayed in the gentle breeze. Fall colors of golden leaves and brown grass stood in contrast to the now blue sky filled with clouds that silently drifted over the meadow. As soon as I began to write in my journal, the sun broke through the clouds spreading its warmth over my body, and I smiled. As words appeared on the pages they became the seeds of happiness, hope, success, and love. Gradually my restlessness shifted into a much needed peace and serenity. These times in nature on a beautiful October afternoon have a way of doing that. I took this image just before leaving. And if you’re interested, the directions for this medication is to: take as needed.
The places in which we are seen and heard are holy places. They remind us of our value as human beings. They give us the strength to go on. Eventually they may even help us to transform our pain into wisdom.
Rachel Naomi Remen
After a conversation with my friend, Jeff, about the above quote I did some google search on the word “holy.” I found the Hebrew word for “holy” is kodesh, which comes from the root word “Kadash” and in simple terms means to be set apart for a specific purpose. I personally like that meaning! But for some of us the word “holy” or even “sacred” refers to a connection with religion and we can recoil. I have been wounded by religion in my past. But I am realizing there has been enough healing that holy for me does not leave a negative reaction. I also believe Remen’s quote is focusing on the “places” and that we are seen and heard whether we call it holy, sacred, or whatever. I can easily refer to several places I connect with as beautiful places, enchanting places, magical places, inviting places, places for community, places of solitude and quiet, places of healing or forgiveness, places to be seen and heard. These places can be in nature, a coffee shop, my condo, my body, an open prairie, a mountain meadow and the places the story in a book can take us. I find myself grateful in embracing all these places, whatever adjective we place in front of it. Thanks, my friend, for the stirring conversation that led me to journal but mostly blog about this. It has been magical day today, perfect day for bicycling.
Here is where I found that Hebrew definition.
Our true home is what the Buddha called the island of self, the peaceful place inside of us. Oftentimes we don’t notice it’s there; we don’t even really know where we are, because our outer or inner environment is filled with noise. We need some quietness to find that island of self.
Thich Nhat Hanh, Silence
It has been a beautiful morning here in Colorado. I felt the need to spend part of this morning within nature so I headed to Pineridge Natural Area for the gift of quiet this new day brings. I found my rock, setup my camera and tripod then sat in the quiet. A group of 30 or so magpies noisily flew over. I wonder how often they make the noise just to draw attention to themselves or just to annoy me or both. And, is it noise to them? Yet, I would have it no other way. The pink along the horizon was just what I needed. I had the area pretty much to myself (and the magpies). I brought along one of my flutes and played a couple of songs, sending those notes and a couple squeaks (noise for sure) out across the meadow. I did rather well with Cherokee Morning Song but Zuni Sunrise needs more practice. Anyway it was a great place to embrace the quietness of that island of self. I will meet Eric shortly for coffee and conversation. I hope you enjoy your weekend.
“To see takes time, like to have a friend takes time,”
Georgia O’Keeffe
I enjoyed my day with Earl and Bonnie yesterday and we made it a full day. Since we did not sign up in time for the timed entry into Rocky Mountain National Park we made some adjustments on the tour. Earl did the driving while I shouted directions. The tour included spotting three Bighorn Sheep in a meadow and able to take a few images. We made it a loop up to Estes Park, Allenspark, Lyons, then back down through Loveland, and Fort Collins. We stopped several times including a nice Restaurant called La Mariposa in Lyons for lunch. The tour also included include showing a couple of the Naturala Areas I visit. We were not able to meet up today but I will have breakfast with them in the morning. They are wonderful, warm, and good people which makes for rich, deep and open conversations. It’s nice to meet our virtual friends face-to-face. I wish we could have had more time.
Mindfulness is an ancient form of meditation in which one pays attention to the present moment and all that’s unfolding in that moment, both within and around one. It’s known also as conscious living because the person practicing it is forming an aware and intimate relationship with each moment.
Sue Monk Kidd
When love awakens in your life, in the night of your heart, it is like the dawn breaking within you.
John O’Donohue, Anam Cara
I stopped near Arapaho Bend Natural Area to soak up the sun and the clouds. I came to journal before going to my annual checkup this morning with my PCP. I bought a mocha latte on my way which added to the joy of journaling.
I watched as fog settled low among the trees that line the banks of the Poudre River. A few geese and ducks were having their morning conversation on the small pond just to my left. The clouds had this beautiful pattern that seemed to be reaching out across the sky. As any good photographer would do, I took a few photographs of nature’s artwork. The sun sat behind the clouds, the radiant globe it is. I soaked up its warmth, medicine to my soul. At that moment I felt gratitude for being alive.