My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
“The quality of our being is the basis of all our actions…The quality of our presence is the most positive element that we can contribute to the world.”
Thich Nhat Hanh
This morning’s ride to coffee found me surrounded by pink. This is looking west across the intramural fields on CSU campus just before sunrise. So glad I was present and stopped. The Old Town Mocha I had later was just what I needed to warm up.
It is a wonderful day in our life
John O’Donohue
when one is finally able to stand
before the long, deep mirror of one’s own reflection
and view oneself
with appreciation, acceptance and forgiveness.
On that day
one breaks through the falsity of images and expectations
which have blinded one’s spirit.
One can only learn to see who one is
when one learns to view oneself
with the most intimate and forgiving
compassion.
I received an interesting email this past week from attorneys in California “demanding” me to remove images from my website because I was infringing on copyrighted images belonging to their company. They had a link to a file listing the images but the link was incomplete. I did some research on the attorneys and discovered they deal with estate and trust litigation. I was sure it was a scam of some sort because as far as I know I have no images on this blog that are not mine. I was concerned that I may have posted a quote or poem that someone was wanting me to take down, which I would do, so I called them. I found out they were aware someone was using their company name and that I could ignore the email. So confusing that people can think of doing something like that, then acting on it and never see the results. Anyway…
The other morning at Mugs I discovered one chocolate eclair sitting in their pastry case. I was flabbergasted because they normally do carry them except in the downtown store. I knew immediately some poor unsuspecting customer, maybe even a friend, was going to see that eclair and be tempted buy it. So, I quickly made the sacrifice and bought it, thinking only of them of course. Damn, it was good!
while standing as a witness to the arrival of a new day
mws
and the gifts of nature reflecting in Dixon Reservoir
while a full moon sets over the mountains behind me
and nature’s predawn colors shifting from pink to orange
… tears run down my cheek!
It was 37 degrees when I left the condo this morning. Cold mornings like today make for chilly rides. In spite of the cold I do enjoy the short ride. And, the Earl Gray tea at Mugs hits the spot. This image is taken outside the front door of the coffee shop just after the sun has risen. The older buildings are a part of CSU campus.
I’m getting accustomed to using the bicycle as my primary mode of transportation now. I used the bicycle to meet my oldest daughter for lunch today, about a ten mile round trip. Again, I took the bike trail so I’m not dealing with traffic. They have built tunnels under the major north south bound roads so I needed to only cross one busy road, which has a crosswalk light. These trails also keep me connected with nature, where I get to experience the beauty of our fall season.
I enjoyed my ride this morning to the coffee shop. It was cool and crisp at about 47 degrees but not cold. I find these rides to be invigorating, actually beginning to look forward to them. No traffic to deal with and parking is a breeze. I enjoyed my coffee conversations this morning with Jeff, Curtis, Shawn, Terry and Adrianna, which always seems to make the coffee taste better.
I journaled this morning about how short life is, aware mine gets shorter each day, each breath. I do not know when my heart will beat its last beat, but I am at a place of acceptance when that moment comes. And that acceptance includes finding myself waking each morning with gratitude, looking forward to the possibilities of the day. What photo will be given? Who will I share a conversation with? What lesson(s) can I learn today? What words will I find on the pages of my journal? Will I be present to experience feelings of gratitude, love, fear, serenity, anger, sadness, and other emotions that make me human? These remind me of Mary Oliver’s question asking us how we will live this one wild and precious life given to us? I will not have an answer until I reflect back on my day when I lay my head on my pillow tonight. But, I must say my day has been rich and fulfilling already and it’s not finished.
Hello, sun in my face.
Mary Oliver
Hello you who made the morning
and spread it over the fields…
Watch, now, how I start the day
in happiness, in kindness.
I would add to her start of the day, a bicycle ride to a favorite coffee shop and an image of the sunrise along the way. Weather app suggests the possibility of 90 degrees today. Toasty!
We can express them (beauty and love) with words but cannot define them — we can only say that this and this are included but that is not, and wordlessly we all recognise the truth of it. Speech is limited, no matter what the language…. For in our hearts we understand more than we can possibly talk about.
N.J. Berrill
I stopped for this image on my ride to the coffee shop this morning. Makes me wonder if my coffee life is enriched because of moments of beauty like this. Have a wonderful Wednesday!