Looking Back

Sunflowers forever look towards the happy face of the sun. It is good to do the same. Sometimes, however, we find wholeness by turning towards the shadow. When we accept the darkness of the past we may find and lovingly care for old wounds so they may begin, finally, to heal.

Moment of Glory

I didn't tend to my garden much this year. Awkward weeds took full advantage, as neighbours looked on with disapproval. One flower was undeterred. In a quiet, hidden place it reached up through the earth and bathed in a sunray. On that cloudy day, the combination of flower and sun lasted only a moment. It may be true that beauty is fleeting, but it is rarely absent.

Chimes

The river level dropped quickly one winter morning, just as the temperature dipped below freezing. The result was a wonderland of delicate icicles that lasted for a few hours at most. It is a marvel that the same unseeing river that had overflown its banks and carried away trees, had also created something of such delicate beauty.

Letting Go

In late autumn these seed pods cling to their branch, braving icy winds and storms of snow and sleet. Finally, they will release their grip and drift to a new place. How do they know when to let go? The decision is made for them by their environment: a combination of temperature change, the dryness of the air, and the passage of time. In our lives, circumstances present us with necessary change as well. So often, it is hard to let go.

Transformation

Like something out of science fiction, the monarch caterpillar enters this strange looking chamber, emerging months later as a completely different creature.
It is easy to think in terms of strange vs. normal, common vs. unusual, mundane vs. remarkable.
But if we put away our preconcieved notions we may realize that every facet of life is truly miraculous.

Green Shell

This shell has always been a part of my life. It is my mother’s favourite shell, and for as long as I can remember it sat on the mantle of my childhood home. All these years later, it is still a brilliant green. It was only after photographing the shell that I could see, in the photograph, the tiny cracks that reveal the shell’s age.