“On the deepest level, problems such as war and starvation are not solved by economics and politics alone. Their source is prejudice and fear in the human heart; and their solution also lies in the human heart.”
Jack Kornfield
In the human heart
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A lush green field on a morning walk -
Temporary Sojourners
Sunset on Larimer County Rd. 3 “We rush through our days in such stress and intensity, as if we were here to stay and the serious project of the world depended on us. We worry and grow anxious; we magnify trivia until they become important enough to control our lives. Yet all the time, we have forgotten that we are but temporary sojourners on the surface of a strange planet spinning slowly in the infinite night of the cosmos.”
John O’DonohueI broke the stay-at-home orders and headed out of town. Don’t tell anyone. I know how much quieter it is in town with half the traffic but it is even quieter on a dirt road in eastern Larimer County. Meadowlarks were singing their hearts out which made my heart sing. Not sure I have ever photographed these trees before. So, expect more of them.
I am reading a second book by John O’Donohue called Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to Belong. It is as good as his first one and that’s where this quote comes from. Good night. I’m off to bed.
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One-breath
Sunset on Weld County Road 90 “In this world of onrushing events the act of meditation – even just a “one-breath” meditation – straightening the back, clearing the mind for a moment – is a refreshing island in the stream.” Gary Snyder
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Some questions
Longs Peak at sunrise seen from Running Deer Nature area “I want to sing like the birds sing
Not worrying about who hears
Or what they think.”
RumiI wonder what went through the minds of our ancestors who were physically, mentally and spiritually closer to nature then we are? I ask because I come to these nature areas to find distance from the noise of the city but find my mind is consistently distracted. Were they capable of being more present than I seem to be? I’m aware the more time I spend out here the more present I can be. After a period of settling in, adjusting to this place, I hear, then see, the osprey soaring in the wind drafts, being pursued by a pesky crow. Next I notice a goldfinch that just perched on a bush nearby, singing it’s soft and delicate “swee-eet” song. I watch and am amazed at how quickly the birds can fly from here to there, silently. If you do not know what I write about then spend a morning in a nature area, listen, watch, be present, bring a journal and use it, and please leave your phone at home. Just some questions.
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Its a strange time
Beams of sunlight over the Colorado Front Range It’s Tuesday, close to noon. Awoke to overcast skies and a light mist. The weather along with the worldwide changes going on added a gloomy feel to the day. After quiet time I headed to Cups coffee to use the internet and enjoy a mocha but that didn’t happen. They fall under the statewide ban on the closing of restaurants and bars that went into affect yesterday. Because they are being impacted financially with our situation I bought a mocha and headed home. I will read a new book I received yesterday, journal a little, have more prayer and mediation time, listen to the silence and write this post. It’s a strange time.
The world looks strange to me this morning, almost unrecognizable and it is. However, I’m aware there is something different within me. I am seeing and feeling the world differently. I have been a solitary individual for many years now, choosing to spend a lot of time alone. However, knowing I can’t just go to a coffee shop and sit to read/journal/converse with the baristas, friends and a stranger is now not my choice. My feathers are ruffled. I don’t always deal well with the unexpected bump in the road or a pothole that wasn’t there yesterday. Daily changes in life require acceptance of the present moment and a shift in thinking and living. My task in life is to let go of what I think I think I need life to look like and live more solidly in the present moment. It’s a strange time.
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An ethics statement
Winter afternoon clouds east of town Fellow photographer, Mark Graf, posted a very interesting and well written post that has been preoccupying my mind lately. He addresses the effects humans are making on nature and in my opinion does a great job. He has definitely done his homework. I suggest you check it out and even reread it. After all he has spent some time writing it, and re-writing it.
As for myself and as a photographer, I have posted images where I needed to drive out of town with intentions of getting my head straightened out, distance myself from the noise of the city in order to listen to the wind and meadowlarks song. In doing this I burn fossil fuel and make my own impact on the environment. When I get home and snack on a few cashews, one of my weaknesses, I am also making an impact on the environment. When I sit in a favorite coffee shop drinking my mocha latte, I am also making an impact. Mark says it well in his final paragraph, stating “We are going to leave footprints no matter what we do.”
I have personally been altering my lifestyle and its impact to the environment for several years. I also know that some of our society is making changes to decrease our impact. But, the real question is what impact do I make and how do I change that? Maybe it’s about writing my own ethics statement as a photographer and a resident on this plant.
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She writes about me…
Sunrise in Moraine Park in Rocky Mountain National Park – 2004 “The most regretful people on earth are those who felt the call to creative work, who felt their own creative power restive and uprising, and gave to it neither power nor time.” ―
