Shining Spirit

The wait was worth it.

She walked along the water’s edge, deliberately, stealth bird in search of food swimming at her feet. When some flash of motion revealed a meal, her long neck shot forward, the length of my arm, spearing the prey, leaving the water motionless.

But I kept saying to her: Fly. Spread those huge wings and throw yourself into the air. Turn awkward into graceful. I waited. And waited. Camera poised, finger on the trigger…until. Finally, tired of my mental pleading, she fluttered her wings and graced the world with beautiful flight.

As hard as it is, sometimes you just have to wait. Not everything works on my schedule. I try to remind myself that, in a moment like this one, I can wait frustrated or fascinated. The goal is not just to take a picture, but to see what is on the other end of the long lens. To discover.

And so she flew. In fact, we both did.

The analogy is far from perfect, but you’ll have to admit there is some similarity. This morning I installed a new anti-virus program on my computer. After about 14 pop-ups, a couple of reboots, and a cup of coffee, it was done. Then there were more pop-ups telling me how smart I was to choose this product, how “present” the program would be to my every need, and, of course, would I like to upgrade to even more and better protection. It took about an hour, but I am now protected.

So, here’s the analogy. Many years ago, I said one word…”Yes”…and activated a system in my life that has been always present, always available, has never sent me a pop-up, and doesn’t cost me anything…except my life. This spiritual Presence doesn’t have to be renewed every year, has a very long history, and has received 5-Star reviews by millions of people.

I’m glad to have the anti-virus protection, but I couldn’t live without the Presence. The new computer program is limited to “one person use”, according to the fine print. The Presence is universal, even cosmic. In fact, my Friend is looking over my shoulder as I write this.

It’s a great relationship. You, too?

If these very stones could talk…Well, they can!

Of all the trees in the manicured garden,
this one merits a mere glance from
those who define a tree by its colorful
radiance, a foliage bearer, as if the leaf
is the life source, the nourishing agent of
nature’s creativity.

Should no leaf ever again appear on these
branches, beauty, personified in simplicity
and sacred purity, will cause consciousness
to gasp and stand anchored to the earth
in the presence of inherent symmetry.

Flaming reds and glorious golds deserve
the applause of those who see, but it is
barren beauty that startles the feelings
and haunts the heart.

Sometimes beauty is right there and we don’t see it. Oh, but when we do!
Which is the prettier? The Stone? The Butterfly?
Both?
Today you will be surrounded by beautiful things and experiences.
You might not see them unless you deliberately look.
So, go on a “Beauty Hunt” sometime today.
What do you see, hear, remember
that reveals Creation’s
beauty?

If it doesn’t challenge you,

it won’t change you.

I don’t know who said it. Whoever, I like that thinking. Sure fits my life. Yours?

Optimism is the child of Gratitude.

So much goes wrong, not the way I
expected or wanted. I live in a world
of rapid words, breathless words, words
that fly through the air like machine gun
bullets, words that murder my mind and
feed the darkness.

Optimism is the child of Gratitude.

I forget that I just flipped a switch and
created light, that my fingers race over
a machine capable of producing words that
instantly fly around the world, that the
bougainvillea’s delight-filled red blossoms
wait in the darkness, that my rumpled bed
was warm and the face in the gold frame is
the image of love that has withstood my best
and my worst for sixty years.

Optimism is the child of Gratitude.

When the last period is placed at the end of the
last sentence on this page, I will close my eyes,
a long blink, and when I open them, I will enter
the world of intentional gratitude. From the last
star visible in the fading night sky to the little
green plant I mindlessly water every day, I will
begin a journey of gratitude. And I will walk the
ever-broadening pathway that has no end.

Optimism is the child of Gratitude.
And I will be born again into a new world.

I have a friend who says he is losing his sight…regular sight, common sight. That kind of sight, he told me, is being replaced by another form of seeing. More and more he sees the world metaphorically. He describes himself as a Metaphorologist. The tree in the photo, for instance. It wouldn’t win first prize for beauty, but it is a living illustration of life. A metaphor. Some days he doesn’t know which way to go. This way, that way, standing tall, bending low. Kind of like that Bible story about the man who called himself “Legion” because there were so many different forms of himself enclosed in his one body. This tree is like that. We should name it a Legion Tree. The man in the story wanted to be freed of the many inside. My friend, on the other hand, wants a PhD in Metaphorology. Seeing through metaphorical glasses magnifies the moment and the messenger. At least that’s what he thinks. Seems that everywhere he looks there is a burning bush. If you happen to know of a University that specializes in Metaphorology, will you let me know. I’ll pass the information on to him. He’ll enroll tomorrow.

I looked up at just the right moment. The sky was on fire. I grabbed my camera, and still in my pajamas, ran to the middle of the street and started shooting photos. No neighbors out, thank goodness. Five minutes before I saw it, it wasn’t there. Five minutes after I saw it, it was gone. Beauty visited for only a few moments, but it was astonishing. That little taste will serve me through this day. I wonder what’s next on the agenda of amazement…

Be on the lookout!