Love What You See

Thank goodness I am an early riser. So much beauty awaits us just for the taking at 5:30 or 6 in the morning. Last Friday's gift to me is still so clear in my head. The mountain--Mt. Tamalpais-stood clearly in the early morning light. A third of the way down, away from the top, a scarf of chiffon fog floated across the rocky surface allowing the top of the mountain to jut toward the sky. It didn't seem to be my familiar landmark but something gigantic from another country. I could not take my eyes away from this treasure. I wonder if all of us need to look around a little more to really see the beauty. It doesn't have to be early morning, any time will do. Turn away from ugliness and drink in beauty.

Walking

     What a day! Out for my daily walk with gorgeous clouds above, a slight cool breeze against my cheeks, and a desire in my heart to really appreciate life, I set forth. The air was so fresh I drew it in as if it was a magic drink that would reward me with something wonderful. It happened! As I rounded one curve there in front of me was the Golden Gate Bridge in all its golden splendor touched by the sun with diamonds of light. I spoke out loud. Thank you, thank you. I live in paradise. Keep walking forever.

Rain

     In the middle of the night I heard rain on the roof. I almost scrambled out of bed to look at it. Marin County needs rain, or by next year we will really be in trouble. Thoughts come into my mind and I wonder what an individual needs to live a satisfying life. Perhaps some need the heavy rain of friends; others a solitary existence. Most of all each person must be able to choose what will bring great growth just as the rains bring fresh green. The hills have no choice. They just are there. Perhaps all should take anything that comes to us and thrive in our own way. When the hills are brown, they are still existing. Think about it. Stir up the brain. What is the forecast for your growth--cloudy, no change, the usual? Does any of this make sense?

Inspiration

     Two pokes hit me recently. A friend said she had come to my blog spot and I hadn't written anything for months. The next thing I hear from someone is that she had read over all my blogs. Why, I wondered. Do I perhaps have something to say now and then?
     My question is--what is inspiration, and where does it come from? I don't know why this word and idea came to me, but I went to the dictionary and looked up the word. Eleven definitions face me, but the ones I like are "to produce or arouse a feeling or a thought" and "to influence or impel".
     When I taught my 8th graders many times I felt that indeed I had aroused some thought. Evidence of this came to me in some of the essays my students wrote. Seeing this evidence led me to want to keep inspiring as much as I could. Even now at my mature age I continue to at least try to influence or impel someone for a greater thought, yes to simply inspire them to greater things. Too many of us satisfy ourselves with so little. I include myself here, but I keep pushing myself to greater thought.
     How about you?

Falling Leaves

     The other morning when I was walking I noticed how much the leaves on the trees had really begun to lose their green color, moving on to the luscious reds and yellows. Yes, the trees had decided, as they do each year, to take a rest so that next year they would be full of energy and vitality for the spring season. How often do we take a rest in order to have the stamina to go on with vim and vigor? Not often enough I will wager. What a change we would see in ourselves if we took time out on a daily basis simply to contemplate life. Most of us just keep going as we grumble about not having enough time to do all the things we need to do, or think we need to do. Can each one of us look at our lives and  be happy with what we have done with our lives and maybe even change? What is important? Maybe the falling leaves can tell us.

Time?

     Where does time go? Are we the ones that let it fly by? I am beginning to think that our daily list making is the culprit. Each day the question comes to mind-"Will we do all we have set out to do? Who is the judge? Of course, we are and as a result of not completing a list we begin to judge ourselves and our shortcomings. What good does that do? I am going to leave that question in the air for all of you to figure out.
     At any rate it has been at least 3 weeks since I returned from Spain. Still not having the answer of why I love that country so much I begin to contemplate the idea of perhaps living another life in that country along time ago. Or, I am preparing for a future there? Too much to think about at the moment, so I will let you do that.

Clarity Always Available

      Took an  early morning walk this morning, the usual, but not really. The clarity of the atmosphere was remarkable. The bridge was pure orange, good old Golden Gate; the mountain showed forth tones of rose and pink, Tamalpais. Was I as clear as my surroundings, I wondered. The cloudiness had to be cleared out, so that I would be ready for clear thinking. How do I do that? I drank in my surroundings and found I joined the clarity of the day.