Friday Photograph

I love fall-the smells, the vibrant colors, but my favorite thing about fall is walking through the leaves. The sound of crunching leaves under foot makes me smile and makes my heart sing. For years I wondered why this sound made me so happy. I think I have uncovered the reason-it reminds me of the pure joy I felt playing in the leaves as a child. Adults need to play too! It brings me pure joy to play...to walk in the fall with the leaves crunching under foot! 

How do you cultivate play in your life?

Friday Photographs

"Walking mindfully opens the eyes to beauty 

everywhere, leading the release of

 sorrow and worry, so peace and inner

freedom may enter."

~Thich Nhat Hanh

Friday Photographs

“No one lights a lamp in order to hide it behind the door: the purpose of light is to create more light, to open people's eyes, to reveal the marvels around.” 

~Paulo Coelho

Friday Photographs

"Today, like every other day, we wake up empty
and frightened. Don't open the door to the study
and begin reading. Take down the dulcimer.
Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kiss the ground."

-Rumi

Friday Photographs

"The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky proclaims his handiwork"
Psalm 19:1

Friday Photographs

"Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit."

-Saint Francis de Sales

Pondering "When the Violin"

For months I have been wanting to pair a photograph of a violin and Hafiz’s poem “When the Violin”. I was finally able to do this this past Friday. I have been pondering this paring for a long time and wanted to reflect and write on it. This poem spoke to me the first time I read it. It stabbed me in the heart. It took my breath away. I remember thinking to my self this is what I need to do and this is who I want to become.

I long to “stop worrying about the future” and “become such a drunk laughing nuisance”!  These phrases struck a chord with me. Being overcome with laughter is such a beautiful image of a way to live ones life. Laughter invokes great joy and a letting go of the worries of the world. Laughter lets us become our authentic selves because we have to let our guard down and take off the mask we show the world. Laughter is also about being fully present in the moment. When we in the midst of a truly hardy laugh we are not thinking about what we must do tomorrow, how we are going to pay the credit card bill, or wonder what others think of us. We are just laughing and enjoying being fully present in the moment.

The final stanza of the poem pierced my heart. To “forgive every wound caused by others” and for my “heart to start singing” is a huge step to authentic and wholehearted living. It struck me that Hafiz did not say forgive the people who caused the wounds but instead forgive the wounds caused by others. Forgiveness is about transforming our own wounds into hope and courage. This journey of transformation may include forgiving the person or people that caused the wound. However, ultimately is the wound that needs healing and transformation so that we can live a life of hope and courage.

When we can name and forgive our wounds they no longer define us. Instead we are set free to be our authentic selves and our whole being can start singing our part in God’s great song...or we can “become such a drunk laughing nuisance” that God joins in our singing and laughter! This is how I strive to live my life!