A Fulfilled Humility

You bow your head
having done what
you were meant to do
securing next years' generation
and feeding birds and bugs.
You have done your part
and humbly bear the burden
of what you are
and what you were meant to be.

Blue

Yellow

Toward the Center

What if it wasn't
a straight and narrow path
but a direction,
toward a center.
and the path I was on,
lead me to you,
in the center,
and we could have
walked together
the whole time...
What if...

Aspens on Volcanic Rock

Another example of the tenacity of life... survive and thrive where ever you can.

Even Weeds are Beautiful

God didn't create any weeds, everything was good and obedient to his will.  We "create" weeds out of perfectly good wildflowers.

That said, respecting the thorns and spines, even a "weed" like this thistle is beautiful and fulfills God's command to be fruitful and multiply... survive and flourish!

...and attract the bumblebees!

A Solstice Vision

I got up early, dressed and went out on our walking trail before sunrise.  I climbed up a berm and sat on a rock there and waited with a prayer in my heart.  I wanted to know that God was there as well as I knew the sun was rising... and I caught the sunrise.

I got up with some gratitude in my heart for what I had seen at the beginning of this glorious day.  As I walked, the real vision came to me.  Shielding my eyes I looked toward the sun and saw clouds of insects rising into the morning air.  I suspect most of them were aphids, gnats, and small beetles.  But for that moment they were angels!

And I saw the plants beneath the insects as silent, monastic alchemists transforming sunlight, water, and minerals into food as they meditated... and they freely gave themselves, sacrificing themselves to feed all other living things.

And the whole universe is the body of Christ, and we are commanded to eat of His flesh and drink of His blood.  The whole universe is a sacrament, the whole universe is a temple, and every human is a prophet, seer, and revelator.

And this vision, of the tiniest, humblest living things flying in the morning air, brought awe and tears to me.  I returned home with my soul full of gratitude.

Happy Solstice to everyone!

Diversity

I am always amazed at the diversity of living things, growing together, living together.  Monocultures are artificial and usually poisoned environments, and never natural.  Why do we humans think we can create such sterile cultures and thrive?  Nature always thrives with diversity.

Flesh and Blood is not Enough

The spirit is willing,
but the flesh is weak.
Flesh and blood is not enough.
We need machines
to create our dreams.

Lichen

Some of the simplest living things,
on the harshest of environments,
are symbiotic.

Can we learn from them?
Can we learn to live together?

(And look at the diversity!)

From Rock Comes Life

Beneath the sun,
rock wears down
to become soil,
soil nourishes the plants,
that feed the animals,
including us,
as we turn and look,
and see our roots
in the rocks,
beneath the sun.

Swallow...

on Kolob Reservoir

I Feel Small

I feel small under the sky,
under a storm or the stars.
I feel small upon the earth,
touching a canyon wall.
I feel small wading into the ocean,
and the waves crashing.
I feel small among my peers,
the pressing crowds.
I feel small as I kneel
before God in prayer.
Then I am reminded
that birds notice me,
and fly away from me,
and mosquitoes still seek me,
to draw my blood.
I feel small,
but I am still here.

Silken Flags

Silken flags, silken highways,
flying in the breeze,
over the grasses,
from leaf and stem.
Silken flags herald triumphantly,
over tiny kingdoms,
and unseen monarchies.
Silken flags proclaim
sovereignties beneath my feet.
Silken flags, shining silver
in the morning sun,
silken flags!

everything comes and goes

Everything comes and goes
with the sunrise and sunset,
with the turning of the stars around Polaris,
with the tides' ebb and flow,
with the South wind and the North wind,
everything in its own time,
and its own season,
everything comes and goes.

a little cousin

A Universal Anthem

(all species would sing)

We are strong!
We had triumphed over adversity,
and grown to be many!
We are competitive and win.
God smiles down upon us!
We have conquered our enemies,
and spread as far as we can.
We thrive in the world,
We are many,
we are mighty!

Shadows

Botanic, Platonic Shadows...

Finally!

The switch has been flipped...