“It’s a new day, it’s a new moon, it’s a new breath for me… and I’m feeling good!” ~ That’s what I was singing to myself yesterday morning.
Admittedly, it is much easier to feel good when we are physically well and able to take a clear and deep breath of life. Someone in my house has been sick for most of the past few months so it’s great to finally be getting over all that ick! I’m glad to be back to doing my morning D.A.N.C.E. again, too. Yesterday morning, I also took an unplanned walk with wonder. I intended to go downstairs to paint. As I sat down with my painting apron on, the view of blooming pink camellia flowers and golden maple leaves called me outside. I grabbed my phone thinking that I’d just go take a few quick pictures of the late bloomers. It turned into so much more… a walk with beauty, vitality, and appreciation. It was a wonderful way to spend the morning after Election Day! I was reminded of a quote by Rumi about the field beyond right and wrong.
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass the world is too full to talk about.” ~ Rumi
It was as if Mother Nature invited me to join her there for a healthy break from peoples’ politics. 😉
I zoomed in to the beauty and magic of the moment… leaning in to my fascination for the weavers in the mist around my home and the cycles of life while the water was glistening and reflecting on the fall leaves and late blooms. A few hours later, while still wearing my painting apron, I returned to my cold coffee in the studio. The slow walk with wonder was much more invigorating and fulfilling than the coffee anyway. The mist outside had cleared and the mist in my sinuses, head, and heart had as well. The sun had risen bright and warm. What a beautiful blessing that unplanned New Moon walk and photo gathering turned out to be. I gladly share the beauty and wonder I witnessed that morning with you in the following video.
I have always loved cameras and photography. I often find that the camera lens helps expand my perspective and acts like a gratitude journal … helping me to pause to see and enjoy the presents right here and now. While I only have an old entry level DSLR camera with no real fancy lens or equipment, I have plenty of curiosity and a deep reverence for beauty, especially in sometimes overlooked things like aging leaves. Since I enjoy it so much and love to honor and share the beauty, I’m making more photographic prints available for purchase in addition to paintings. I’m also going to play around with digital combinations of paintings and photographs as time permits… or when weather makes it easier for me to spend that time on the computer (which isn’t usually my preference). {If you see a photograph you’d like a print of, let me know in the comments and I’ll make it a priority to get uploaded to the shop.}
I’m reminded of two poems that I’ve shared with my newsletter recipients in the past about “Zooming In” and taking time to “Witness the Wonder.” I invite you to take your own walk with wonder and gather your own beauty and blessings as well. I’d love to see what you gather if you’d like to share with a post on social media or describe your experience here in the comments.
