Faith

(Indoor waterfall at Longwood Gardens. Photo by Robin. 2007)

This is my living faith, an active faith, a faith of verbs: to question, explore, experiment, experience, walk, run, dance, play, eat, love, learn, dare, taste, touch, smell, listen, argue, speak, write, read, draw, provoke, emote, scream, sin, repent, cry, kneel, pray, bow, rise, stand, look, laugh, cajole, create, comfort, confound, walk back, walk forward, circle, hide, and seek.

~ Terry Tempest Williams

I would add to that list: Give thanks.

Here it is, Thursday again. And I’ve once more forgotten about my weekly list known as Wednesday Wonders. In my defense, I’ve been sick this week and barely keeping up with much of anything.

It’s hard to feel gratitude and give thanks when I’m feeling so yucky. However, I’m going to give it a try.

Things I am grateful for this week:

• tissues with lotion to pamper my stuffy, sneezy nose
• sleep, lots and lots of sleep
• my wonderful, loving husband who has been taking care of me when he’s not at work
• the luxury to be ill, to rest, and to not have to force myself to go to work (where I would likely spread the germs around and make others sick)
• tomato soup
• orange juice
• cold watermelon that soothes my sore throat
• the steam from a hot shower that loosens up the concrete in my sinuses
• reading, drawing, and otherwise occupying my time while I feel too tired and sick to do anything else
• feeling slightly better today than I did yesterday

Spiritual Sun

(Photo by Robin. 2007)

The theme of my life has been the dawning of the spiritual sun in my soul. Its light warms me, forcing me to grow and become attuned to its brilliance.

~ Roger L. Plunk

The love of wilderness

(On the road in PA.)

(On the road in the PA Wilds. Photos by Robin. May 2007)

… the love of wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyond reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth, the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only home we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need — if only we had the eyes to see. Original sin, the true original sin, is the blind destruction for the sake of greed of this natural paradise which lives all around us — if only we were worthy of it … No, wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread. A civilization which destroys what little remains of the wild, the spare, the original, is cutting itself off from its origins and betraying the principle of civilization itself.

~ Edward Abbey

Today

Note about nameage — which I’m pretty sure is not a word: Before our granddaughter was born, my husband and I were trying to decide what we wanted to be called. There are so many varieties of grandmother and grandfather. Eventually we arrived at a reasonable solution. Let our granddaughter decide by waiting to see what variation or cute pronunciation she would come upon. But prior to reaching that wise conclusion, we came up with some silly stuff. At one point he said she should call me Cuddles (because, he said, I’m very cuddly). I asked what she should call him if I was going to be Cuddles. He replied, “She can call me Zeke” (said in a very serious, deep-voiced tone that cracked me up and had me almost rolling on the floor laughing).

So, I’ve decided that instead of referring to my husband as “M the Elder” (which I’ve never really liked because I don’t see him as old or elder except in the sense that he’s always been, to me,  an old soul wise enough to be called an elder and I’ve just realized that trying to explain this doesn’t make sense so, please, just go with it), I will call him Zeke. Because it’s fun. Because it’s become a term of endearment. Because he’s fun and dear to me.

*****

Zeke and I worked outside for a while today. He was out there longer than I was because he’s in better shape and has the strength to stay out there for hours at a time. I wimp out after a couple of hours.

I sometimes whine a little about hard labor. Rather than do that, I thought I’d try something new.

Today I enjoyed:

• the feel of my hands in the dirt, becoming, at the same time, energized and grounded by Mother Earth.
• the smell of the earth before and after the rain showers.
• watching a butterfly flit through the wildflower meadow.
• the strength of my body as it worked, knowing that the hard work makes me stronger and healthier.
• the feel of my muscles in motion.
• listening to Zeke and M the Younger do their usual bickering routine as they were walking down the hill. Sometimes father and son sound like a couple of grumpy old men, debating the best way to do whatever it is they’ve set out to do.
• dancing in the rain as it cooled and refreshed me.
• the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance.
• the sound of the wind and trees whispering to each other.
• the sight of an amazing variety of greens in the landscape.
• the buzzing of a nearby bee.
• the process of weeding and seeing a job well done when I finished.
• running my hands through the mulch and placing it around the plants.
• talking to the lavender and having it respond with its wonderful scent.
• sweating.
• the feel of the sun.
• the cooling breeze that I could feel when I got up from kneeling on the ground.
• a tall glass of iced tea, condensation running down the sides and dripping on to me.
• watching the swallows take quick dips in the pond.
• the sound and ripples of fish jumping.
• the gratitude I feel when I look around at the beauty that surrounds us.
• the joy I feel from that gratitude and beauty.
• a long shower, with good water pressure, and sluicing off the dirt and sweat of the day.
• the wonderful feeling of relaxation and exhaustion that overcomes you when you’ve spent the day outside, breathing in fresh air and exercising.
• the taste of food when you’ve worked up a good appetite.
• spending the day in love and with love.
• the good night’s sleep I know I’m going to get tonight.

*****

(Sunset by the pond. Photo by Robin.)

I am convinced that life in a physical body is meant to be an ecstatic experience. ~ Shakti Gawain

Peace, wisdom and joy

(Longwood Gardens. Photo by Robin. May 2007)

The great teachings unanimously emphasize that all the peace, wisdom, and joy in the universe are already within us; we don’t have to gain, develop, or attain them. We’re like a child standing in a beautiful park with his eyes shut tight. We don’t need to imagine trees, flowers, deer, birds, and sky; we merely need to open our eyes and realize what is already here, who we really are.

~ Bo Lozoff, Human Kindness Foundation

The road

(Photo by Robin. May 2007)

Once you realize that the road is the goal and that you are always on the road, not to reach a goal, but to enjoy its beauty and its wisdom, life ceases to be a task and becomes natural and simple, in itself an ecstasy.

~ Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Vision

(Photo by Robin. May 2007)

Always be ready to see what you haven’t seen before. It’s a kind of looking where you don’t know what you’re looking for. ~ Corita Kent

Gifts

(Photo by Robin. 2007)

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. ~ Marcel Proust

I didn’t have time yesterday to do my usual Wednesday Wonders post so I’m going to make this a thankful Thursday. My morning was kind of sucky, to say the least, and it will do me good to count a few blessings before getting on with the rest of this day.

Today I am thankful for:

• A quick make-up after a quick spat with my husband this morning.
• My husband, for being so understanding of my moodiness at this stage of life.
• The woman who gave me a wonderful and relaxing pedicure just a little while ago.
• The new girl who cut my hair even though I’m not sure she did a very good job of it (I’ll know better when I wash, dry and style it myself tomorrow).
• Having hair to cut.
• Being home.
• Watching the goldfinches as they flit about.
• Dandelion seeds (because the goldfinches love them).
• Quiet nights.
• A beautiful sunrise.
• Friends.
• Deep breaths.
• Tears and a good cry.
• Triple chocolate fudge brownies with fresh strawberries.
• Water pressure and a long, hot shower.
• The coolness of our basement on a hot day.
• Love, in all of its forms.

What are you thankful for this week?

Smile

(Smile. Longwood Gardens. Photo by Robin. 2007)

Did you know … that when you walk past a flower, whether it be in somebody’s garden or on a vacant hillside, the flower will always smile at you. The most polite way to respond, I’ve been told, is to cheerfully return the smile. ~ Ron Atchison

Welcome Back

(Woodland trail at Longwood Gardens. Photo by Robin. 2007)

There were times you did not succeed.
Walking on the empty path, you were floating in the air,
lost in the cycle of birth and death
and drawn into the world of illusion.
But the beautiful path is patient,
always waiting for you to come back,
that path that is so familiar to you,
and so faithful.
It knows you will come back one day.
And it will welcome you back.
The path will be as fresh and as beautiful as the first time.
Love never says that this is the last time.

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

We’re heading home to the Bogs again, leaving first thing tomorrow morning.  It’ll be interesting to see the changes that have occurred in nature over the past five weeks.

And, as always, it’ll be good to be home.