Deep Dive Into Spring

The view from our AirBNB living room

We took a short trip to southeastern Minnesota this week. I was planning to photograph wildflowers in several state parks in the area. We planned to spend three days exploring and enjoying this part of the state. It was a long awaited

Deep Dive Into Spring

that I hoped would work well for me despite some physical challenges I’ve been having.

But as life often does, our plans changed quickly along the way. I have some pain issues when I travel (and at other times as well). and I had hoped that this trip would work for me with all of the adaptations we made, bringing along two foam pads, a thick therma-rest camping pad, and a thick puffy mattress pad to make the bed at our AirBNB place comfortable enough to sleep on.

The place where we stayed was a beautiful refurbished farmhouse in the countryside near Pepin, Wisconsin. I loved it. But I was unable to sleep comfortably in the bed and got very little sleep during the night. Neither did Jon because of my frequent tossing and turning. In the morning I looked at Jon and said, “I can’t do this. I’m in too much pain to make photographs and I can’t face another night in this bed. I need to go home.”

So after I spent a short time wandering the farmstead with my camera we packed up and came home. It’s not what I hoped for nor what I dreamed of.

But it is what my current reality is. Dreams of magical healing aside, it is probably what will be as I move forward. What I know for sure is that everyone suffers loss and pain as well as joy and wonder. For me personally, it feels more important than ever to look for beauty and wonder in everyday ordinary life.

The Wound
The only advice I have for you
is to not fix the wound.
The sirens of your pain will call you in
again and again,
please stop resisting them.
When you allow this deep dive
to retrieve your laughter, your tears,
your prayers, your song, your poetry
you are communicating the language of the soul
to this forgetful world.
— Chelan Harkin, Susceptible to Light

Kitchen in the farmhouse

Last night I watched a live-stream of a community choir concert. A friend of mine is a member of the choir and this was the choir’s first concert as a community choir. It was sheer joy from start to finish! This choir had recently gone through some difficulties and a painful period where it looked like the choir might not continue. But they transformed from a church choir to a community choir. And it was such a joy to see and hear their joy at singing together.

Their re-birth into a new form reminds me that sometimes the most difficult and challenging times carry hidden blessings.

Try Human

Forget perfection.
Go for messy, learning,
tender, whole.

Forget brand new.
Embrace cracked,
broken open, worn
rich with story.

Forget polished.
Choose rusted,
textured, nuanced, real.

Please cease
this intimidating flawlessness
and become generous
in sharing your sacred wound.
Forget Divine—
try human.

— Chelan Harkin, Susceptible to Light

I hope you are also taking a deep dive into spring this week. Enjoy the beauty all around.

May you walk in beauty.

Deer visitation at AirBNB house, seen from the living room window.

Orchard at the AirBNB farm