Tag Archive | nature

Capturing beauty

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Sometimes I wonder at the beauty of nature

The awe-inspiring colours and contours

The mesmerizing combination of shapes and hues

From beauty we can see everyday

To beauty at the bottom of the oceans deep

The colours of the feathers of rainforest birds

The translucent creatures of the seas

The cacophony of the colours of the leaves in the fall 

The astonishing visual feasts that are sunsets 

So much beauty 

So much grace

A delight for our eyes and senses

We capture this beauty in the photos we take

Knowing that the original is even more amazing and exquisite 

September 15th, 2022 

Photo courtesy of Gita Kazerounian

The vision quest

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The vision quest

I’ve only read about them

Going into the wilderness alone

Communing with nature

Listening to the voice of the ancestors

Contemplating one’s place in life

The vision quest

A right of passage

The gate to maturity and responsibility 

Seeking one’s animal guide

The vision quest

Reaching out to the Great Spirit

Asking questions

Listening attentively for answers

The vision quest

January 29th, 2021

Yellow window panes

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The yellow window panes frame a picture

That reminds us of the grandeur of nature

The yellow window panes are the perfect frame

For the shades of yellow and orange in the sunset

We are moved by the harmony and beauty of what we see

 

The rich colours of the sunset above

The lush green landscape below

Separated by quiet and imposing mountains far off in the distance

Remind us of the beauty of what’s around us if we look out the right window

 

If we look out a window that shows the splendour of nature

And the colours and patterns that mesmerize us

Our heart is gladdened and we feel hopeful

If we look out a window that faces a wall

Obstacles are what we see

 

So let our mind’s eye turn toward that which is hopeful and inspiring

Of the many windows in our home, let’s spend some time

Looking at what cheers and encourages us

And helps us see what is possible

 

July 28th, 2020

 

photo credit:  Yasaman Jahanshahi

Bird song

 

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I open the window one early morning

The silence of the home is broken by bird song

It’s a symphony

It feels urgent

This beautiful orchestra 

The birds give the news of the break of dawn

They remind me of the beauty of the creation of God

Nature has a way of waking up one’s soul

Nature, calming and inspiring at once

 

June 28th, 2020

Coloring our lives

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The things that give color to our lives

During gray days, are:

Friendship with people who lift us up and inspire us

People whose positive energy can be felt 

People who make us smile

 

Creating art

Getting lost in the act of creation

And forgetting all else

 

Listening to music which is

“The ladder of the soul”

 

Prayer and meditation 

Going to that unknowable place

We all come from

And basking in its light and warmth 

 

Being helpful to others 

Why is it that when we do that

We smile and feel joy in our hearts?

 

Spending time in nature

The vast creation that surrounds us

Marveling at its beauty and grandeur 

 

Traveling

Finding ourselves in new places

With new people 

Who may see things differently from us

Recalibrating how we see the world

 

I’m sure there are other things that

Color our lives

These are only a few that come to mind

 

December 7th, 2019

Fall carpet

 

DB1D173B-2DAE-42DC-AF61-9054E7E5DEF6.jpegThe trees have spread their fall carpet under them

They are inviting us to sit with them for a while

Look at the beauty of nature and

The amazing colors, a feast for the eyes

 

They say let’s look back at the summer

What did you enjoy?

What was hard?

 

They say let’s look ahead to winter

The season of hibernation 

We can still do a lot in those cold months

 

They say let’s think about right now 

The blessings we have

How far we’ve come And then they thank us for visiting them 

And staying for a while 

 

October 16th, 2019

Ephemeral

I try to capture the beauty of nature
Because it’s ephemeral
It will be gone soon

I have to keep a record of it
Share it with my friends
And savour the beauty until it lasts

Joy is similar
It comes with gifts and cheers us up
But I know this feeling is temporary
It’s inevitably followed by sadness or
Contemplation of the serious issues facing us

Sadness is similar
It doesn’t last
But somehow during the sad times
It’s no consolation to know that it will pass
The pain is real, the sorrow is real
And that is my reality then

I try to console myself and remind myself
This too shall pass
Yet, the shadow that the sorrow has cast
Remains, and I have to deal with it

We wouldn’t call it sadness if we were able to
Transform it into joy with our thoughts
Yet there are people who deal with difficult
Situations better
And that deserves admiration and respect

Theses are people I look up to
From them, I try to learn
The secret of remaining thankful
During difficult times

Such people have a different understanding of life
Their vision sees into the future
They don’t equate discomfort and challenges
With sorrow and pain
They find a way through the pain

Their circumstances don’t change
But their perception of the situation
Allows them to rise above it
See it in a different way
See the end in the beginning
And the beginning in the end

October 15th, 2016