Lingering in happiness

Mary Oliver is one of my favourite poets and I try not to miss too many opportunities to share her work. She has such a way of revealing the extra-ordinary in ordinary events. Those events have deeper meaning that sometimes escapes our view when we do not ask questions that allow us to dig deeper.

drbillwooten's avatarDr Bill Wooten

“After rain after many days without rain,
it stays cool, private and cleansed, under the trees,
and the dampness there, married now to gravity,
falls branch to branch, leaf to leaf, down to the ground
where it will disappear — but not, of course, vanish
except to our eyes. The roots of the oaks will have their share,
and the white threads of the grasses, and the cushion of moss;
a few drops, round as pearls, will enter the mole’s tunnel;
and soon so many small stones, buried for a thousand years,
will feel themselves being touched.”

~ Mary Oliver

IMG_8780pano

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Capturing The Moment — Papilio multicaudata Butterfly

Capturing The Moment — Papilio multicaudata Butterfly.

The image and the short verse in the link are spectacular. Martin Buber wrote complex prose which was poetic. His central point in his seminal work I and Thou was we become who we are in relationship with ourselves, others, and the world. He has a beautiful section about our relationship with trees. In our relationships, we become unique. We are not duplicates of anyone else.

We are who we are because of our relationships, the impact they have on us, and the sense we make of them. Sometimes, more often than not I imagine, the relationships go unnoticed and are taken-for-granted just as our uniqueness is. We become whats in the world rather than a particular who in the world. We might even fall victim to seeing ourselves as whats, as products, rather than that unique person who is only expressed in our particular whoness.

In a world driven by standardization and conformity to standards, it is difficult to find one’s voice and express one’s self through that voice.

The Shadow Element

This is a wonderful short verse which expresses the need for relationships with others and the world.

Accept Yourself

Accept Yourself.

In a highly materialistic and competitive world, it is hard sometimes to accept who we are. My reading and writing has taken me on a detour through this as I explore what teaching means to teachers in their forming identities. There is an essential part of who we are that often goes unexplored. We often reduce to what we do, how we do it, and why we do it, but rarely let the who be revealed.

It is almost Seuss-like with the question “Who is the who that teaches or lives this life?” When we slow down and move from moment to moment, it allows us to speak to our self and listen more deeply. This conversation is a rich and deep requiring stillness and mindfulness that the busyness of daily life often prohibits. When we slow down, we touch the essential spirit of who we are without completely knowing the answer. The questions we ask open space for living and creativity.

The sun will rise again!

Breathe. Al is well. There is not much else to say as we allow each moment to flow into the next realizing the transience of living.

purpleraysblog's avatarPurplerays

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Photo credit: https://www.facebook.com/annataylormusicangel

“Just as the sun sets and rises each day, you always have the opportunity to let go and begin again.
Breathe. All is well.”
– Anna Taylor

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Love.

Love..

Love becomes us when we truly love. It is not the words and actions, but the embodiment of the words and actions. When we love something or someone, it is easy for others to see. There is a richness that exists in us that is easy to sense.

Becomes is an interesting word. We might simply understand it as love is something we become. Better perhaps is that love is something that we wear well and show well. It becomes us. There is a radiance that exudes from us when we embody love. It is not just a passing fancy. Love is lasting and always becoming.

A Sign Of Fall

A beautiful picture and quote. Autumn is a time for harvesting and setting aside. It is a time to be thankful and grateful for the bounties we have been offered.

Amy's avatarThe World Is A Book...

two deer-6

 “Autumn…the year’s last, loveliest smile.”

William Cullen Bryant

More WPC Sign entries

Enjoy the Weekend! 🙂   

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   Oneness of Being

   Oneness of Being.

The article linked contains a quote from Khalil Gibran about the importance of other people in our lives. Emmanuel Levinas capitalized Other in his writing emphasizing the point.

We are incomplete without others in our lives. However, we do not always see their importance until they are out of our lives. The world and others complete who we are. We are always in relationship with someone and something.

Simpler Times

Simpler Times.

The Saturday Evening Post cover speaks speaks about simpler times. There is no better time than this moment. The times were simpler and I think the key to the link is the quote under the image. Our inner child is our muse.

When we live in the moment with curiosity and reverence, our inner child sees the world with wonder and awe. The other night we laughed as our grandson played with the little boy in the mirror for 5 minutes. They had a wonderful time and so did we. It reminded the world is always ready to be explored anew when we adopt the beginner’s mind.

Inspiration Point

Inspiration Point.

We carry umbrellas to protect us from the rain. Rain can feel soothing on the body. It cools and warms. We walk in it to gain fresh perspective on life. We splash in the puddles to recall childhood.

Walking in the rain is walking through life which the link suggests in a wonderful way. We are having a conversation as we walk in the rain listening for what life has to say. When we are mindful, we hear the wisdom in rain drops. We are living into the questions that life is.