In all the racing about, from here to there and back again, take time to see the flowers!
Mowing the lawn the other day, I noticed the irises were blooming. Where had I been? Indigo, periwinkle, ivory. The colors were vibrant. Spectacular! Columbine. Roses. Bleeding Hearts. Lavender. Awash with color, how had I almost missed out on this beauty that was in my own backyard?
Fitting in a quick ride after a long day of work, I almost didn’t. The desire just to stay huddled on the couch wrapped in a wool blanket with my schizophrenic cat was pretty strong. Chilled, exhausted, it would be so much easier to just not. But, that berm needed to be built and our tools were already up there and the rain was holding off at least for another day…
Daisies, Lupine, Foxglove, more Bleeding Hearts, Fiddle Heads, even waist high nettles. The trail was abloom with wild flowers. The clear cut burgeoning with new growth. Were there always all of those flowers before the clear cut? Could we just not see them through all the trees? With endings come beginnings. Letting go of the loss of our “deer trail” and rebuilding when the clear cut was finally stacked and burned, has brought renewal in mind and body, and especially spirit. A Renoir field of flowers, baby trees, and new vistas – Rainier, Big Four, Sisters and the Olympics – are what our backyard is now made of – a simple paradise.
Maybe yesterday I was just more aware of Spring. Textures, colors, sounds. A meandering pedal up the trail, placing a shovel in the golden earth, carefully sculpting the new berm. A gazing in wonderment at the surrounding beauty.
Not just a ride from here to there, but a journey of exploration and appreciation for what is and was and will be.
A friend lost her husband the other day. Not from illness, but a car accident. In the blink of an eye he was gone. Life is fleeting. And, just like that, if we don’t take the time to stop and be grateful for what we have, it could be too late. That seemingly insignificant moment lost. Forever.
It seems I can spend so much time trying to get “it” done, fit “it” all in, try to “keep up”, that the finer moments are sometimes missed, they may have even disappeared without being savored, or even noticed at all. We don’t always need to be in a hurry. “It” doesn’t have to be a race to the top. Slowing down to see the daisies, move some dirt, pet the new growth on a fir tree, appreciate, is integral to our well-being, brings depth to our experiences, enhances our memories with the finer nuances, and allows us to be present in body and spirit while escaping and letting go of the clutter in our minds. Those voices in our heads that seem to keep us too busy hurrying up that we forget to relax.
Embrace each moment and bask in the beauty which surrounds you. Drag yourself off the couch and go outside. Inhale deeply. Fill your soul and empty your mind. Be free. See the world with eyes wide open. Let go of worries about time and responsibilities. Find freedom in a bike ride, a hike. Sit in silence, feel the wind on your face, embrace the moment of now, revel in the touch of a loved one. This, right now. Is happening. Don’t miss it. It could be too late.
And, don’t forget to stop and frolic among the daisies. For oftentimes, it is the simple things that we will remember!
