Each time I study individual stems from my bouquet of alstroemeria flowers I find new beauty. I decided to play with them again today with my camera.
Today’s Photo Play
I almost missed my online Soma Yoga class this morning. Because I was so engrossed in making photographs of my fading bouquet of alstroemeria flowers I lost track of time. Fortunately I remembered just in time.
I love to look closely at nature and see beauty in the curve of stem, or lines carved into a leaf. And to watch a tiny seemingly inert seed, begin to sprout and reach for the light.
As I immerse myself in beauty and wonder I am at the same time feeling deep sadness about the increasing violence of the invasion of Ukraine. I feel helpless and angry that we are all watching and not doing more. Though I understand most of the reasons why nations are not doing more, it’s hard to accept.
“Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something is worth doing regardless of how it turns out.”
— Vaclav Havel
I read recently about a stage 4 breast cancer patient who decided to schedule two five-minute periods of joy/play/happiness each day. Even in the midst of chemotherapy and other treatments she infused her daily life with good things like hope, joy, laughter, fun, and play. It made a difference to the daily quality of her life and empowered her. And now she is over thirteen years cancer-free.
What we all need
We are living in “interesting times.” And it’s not surprising that we’re all feeling a lot of stress and fear. No matter what we’re feeling, we need to allow ourselves to feel those feelings, whatever they are, even when they are sadness, fear, or anger. But I believe that we also need to get intentional about seeking out and experiencing positive feelings like joy, wonder, laughter, and playfulness.
Creating and doing what I love is how I seek out positive feelings.
What do you do to bring in hope, joy, laughter, fun and play?
May you walk in beauty.
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