Sunday, July 3, 2016

Sunrise

Beautiful Life

The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes.”
Frank Lloyd Wright

This morning's light on Lake Martin is a shade of pink I cannot name. Frank Lloyd Wright said, “Space is the breath of art.” Looking out across this expanse of water, with the sky-colors reflected in it, I understand his meaning. The space is what makes it so beautiful. There is much to be grateful for in this moment—the beauty of the natural world, the depth of color and light, the scents and sounds.

If you want your life to feel sacred, pay attention to the details of it. Whether you're looking at a gorgeous sunrise, or at graffiti spray-painted on a wall, pay attention. Look closely at the face of someone you love—notice the freckle on the chin, the glints of gold in the eyes, the tiny lines that streak the forehead. Memorize the details; record them in you almanac of last things. This is a sacred moment.

The sound of the loons calling across the lake is so strange and other-worldly, that it creates holiness simply by its existence. There is a poem by Mary Oliver that speaks of a loon's last song. It is titled “Lead” and the final lines are:

I tell you this
to break your heart,
by which I mean only
that it break open and never close again
to the rest of the world.”

There is something to be said for being brokenhearted. Unless our heart is cracked open, love cannot pour in and gratitude cannot pour out. We should never allow our eyes and ears to miss a single detail of this extravagantly beautiful world. We will not always have it, and it is indeed, holy ground.

                                                            In the Spirit,
                                                                  Jane


1 comment:

Carol Henderson said...

Love the photo and the message and Mary Oliver. Ah!