Abiding Presence

This morning I decided to create a little bit of spring beauty with my fading alstroemeria flowers. So I found a nice snow drift outside the sliding glass window downstairs and “planted” the flowers there. It makes me smile when I look out the window.

If I can inject some humor into these snow-covered spring days perhaps I can live with a sense of

Abiding Presence

that nature is doing exactly what she needs to be doing in this moment. When I let go of my human-centered viewpoint I begin to understand that we humans are probably not the highest purpose of life.

In the new myth, the concept of faith might come to mean trusting that in a state of abiding presence the universe is acting through us on behalf of itself. As such, being present is a holy and sacred act, wherein we proceed in faith that we are the universe becoming – as opposed to acting on behalf of ego for anthropocentric ends. When we act in alignment with the universe, we are making our own unique contribution to the wholeness of it. Each cultural artifact we make adds to the growing collection of mythic expressions. Just as the universe has taught us – dust added to dust increases the gravitational pull.

   — Eric J. Krans, The Rights of All Beings

We are a part of a web of life stretching over eons from the tiniest virus to the massive 106 acre Pando Aspen Grove in Utah that contains 47,000 plus aspen trees that are all connected.

So today I consider the thought that this spring is unfolding exactly as it needs to unfold. My impatience is my own self-centered viewpoint about what I want. And even though there is a voice in my head saying, “Melt snow, melt!” my goal becomes allowing that voice to speak and at the same time living with abiding presence to the best of my ability.

May you walk in beauty.

Fading ranunculus flowers

Just for fun – a Van Gogh Starry Night take on the flowers in the snow