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Hidden Order

I went for a hike in the woods this morning. At first glance the landscape looked gray and uninviting. Almost all of the leaves have fallen. And the trees stand like tall silent sentinels against gray skies. Fallen branches and trees are scattered on the forest floor. Still, by slowing down and looking closely at the life all around me I found Hidden Order and beauty throughout the woods — lichens, curving tree trunks, oak leaves against the sky, decaying wood, moss at the base of a tree trunk. I needed time in the woods today to reconnect with my Read more…

By Marilyn, ago

We Cannot See Clearly Now

Our lives are continuously shaped by circles of beginnings, endings and then new beginnings. It may feel to many today that we are at a sad ending and to others that we are at a bright new beginning. I would suggest that neither is true… We Cannot See Clearly Now what may be, what will happen. Change may be the only constant we know. The human race has far to go before we become wise and kind beings. There is a saying, “The search for intelligent life goes on because we sure haven’t found it here.” Right now that saying Read more…

By Marilyn, ago

Hard as Stone, Soft as Tears

Today is a day of sorrow for me. This moment in time the day after election day feels Hard as Stone, Soft as Tears, the light dimmed by a cloud of uncertainty, loss, and grief for women, people of color, trans/queer/other, immigrants,  our children and the earth. Though we need to take tender care of ourselves and perhaps even find a sanctuary of peace today, we also need to not give up or give in. We need continue to live with loving kindness, doing what little (or big) things that we feel called to do in the name of love. Read more…

By Marilyn, ago

Emergence

Here is my fourth photo and essay in my current photography/writing project. This is a shorter essay than those I wrote before.  I plan to revisit it later to see if I have more to say on this topic. Writing a new essay for each photograph gets a little more challenging each time I begin a new one… Emergence When I go out to make photographs in wild areas I often discover a sense of order emerges even in completely wild areas. Elements of nature create repeating patterns suggesting different kinds of music to me. I especially experience these kinds Read more…

By Marilyn, ago

Living, Laughing, Loving

Some days I consider the questions, “What is my purpose? Have I done enough?” and then I realize that the meaning of my life is not measured by what I do. It is enough to simply be here now Living, Laughing, Loving doing the best I can to choose joy and share what I see and love about this world. I found a new (to me) poem by Mary Oliver that expresses this so beautifully… The Gardener Have I lived enough? Have I loved enough? Have I considered Right Action enough, have I come to any conclusions? Have I experienced Read more…

By Marilyn, ago