June 2015 – Rivers Renewed

Thoughts about Awards

My first thought is thank you! To all those who have nominated me in the past and more recently, I am deeply honored, and blessed. I tell My Love all the time, how awesome you are.

When I first started blogging I did not accept awards. Then I thought I would try it, in order to enjoy the interaction, and to be mutually encouraging to one another. However, I have come full circle now, and have decided to have an award free blog once again. It wasn’t an easy decision.

To be honest, I have a limited time for blogging, and I want to concentrate on my work, in order to produce the highest quality possible. I have several projects that I am spending more time on, including the “Escape” series.

I have received so much encouragement, simply from you reading what I write, clicking the like button, and making occasional comments. I love that we can encourage each other in this way!

I write a lot of comments. I love commenting on your work. Not only do I love your work, I think it’s important to pay back some of the wonderful encouragement I have received.

Peace to everyone, and thank you again.

P.S. We had a great time at the beach today! The weather is excellent, and the waves are amazing. My Love and I went for a walk last night, as the sun was going down. What could be better?

Blessings to everyone!

“If you love nature, you will love people.”

Insight

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.

Albert Einstein

What is it about nature that helps us to understand? I think it is the peace of mind, and the healing we receive from spending time in nature. When we are restored, and refreshed, we can see more clearly.

Restoration through nature helps us to see the connection between us and the rest of the world. We suddenly fit, and we feel like we do belong. We also gain an understanding, that other people fit, and they belong too. In this way, nature actually teaches us compassion. We begin to care, because of the insight, that we are all connected to each other. That’s what I think Einstein was trying to say in this quote. The more deeply we look into nature, the more we understand.

Peace.

Blessings to everyone!

“If you love nature, you will love people.”

Muskets

I understand loving, some of history,

how we learned and grew,

freedom,

but down the hallways of time,

Africans are still crying for their children,

their freedom, wrapped in chains,

and the first people are still weeping,

losing everything.

I cannot, I will not,

celebrate their death,

and there are no muskets in heaven.

Blessings to everyone, and peace!

“If you love nature, you will love people.”

A Lifetime of Beauty

My Love, if I should never see, another sunset,

that would be ok,

I have a lifetime of beauty,

reflected,

in your eyes tonight, and every night.

No saint ever beheld this glory,

never felt the holiness,

of this moment,

and poets,

never painted this sun,

more beautiful.

If I should ever close my eyes too early,

kiss my cheek,

gently,

speak softly,

and I will see you, in the morning.

Good night My Love,

sleep tight.

Blessings to everyone, and peace!

“If you love nature, you will love people.”

The Escape V – Solitude

Contemporary Microfiction

He stood up, pushed aside the grief, and started walking. Was it wrong not to grieve? The wet sand beneath his feet seemed to wake him up. He did not want to stop loving her, but it was time to start again. He walked with determination, realizing he needed this beach today. He was pressing in, and pressing on.

He walked for hours, or what seemed like hours, and headed to the point of where the cove met the ocean. He did realize two things on the way there. First he needed help, outside of himself. This was simply too big to meet on his own. He was never a praying man, so he simply said, “God you know what I’m facing, and have faced…..so please help.” That was it, and he said it out loud.

Just after that, he stopped dead in his tracks. The thought came to him as he looked up at the sky, that he felt guilty. The weight of it came crashing in on him. He was alive and she wasn’t, but there was more. He started walking again, until he reached a large group of rocks at the entrance to the cove. He loved the ocean. There was a definite presence there as he watched the horizon, and then the waves.

What could he have done differently? Was there something he could have said, or should have said? Somehow he was blaming himself. He sat down on the rocks with his face in his hands. With his eyes closed, he saw Rachel’s face, and she was smiling at him with a look of tremendous peace. She did not say anything, and then she was gone. He looked up, but she was not there, only the rocks, and the waves.

He was still. The weight began to lift, and he thought maybe Rachel was trying to tell him something. Maybe she was saying that she was alright, and that he would be alright. The longer he sat there, the more he felt something inside. Was it hope? Faith? Confidence? He wasn’t sure, but whatever it was, it brought peace.

As he made his way back to the boat, he looked at his watch and found that he had been gone for three hours. As he got closer to the inflatable, he heard yelling, like…..arguing. Sound traveled far across calm water, and he began recognizing the voices…..it was Chuck, and Belinda!

He began running, found the boat, pushed it into the water, and cranked the motor, all within a few seconds. Yep, there was no doubt about it now, Chuck really liked Belinda…….a lot!

To be continued.

Blessings to everyone, and peace!

“If you love nature, you will love people.”

Grateful

My brothers, you’ve taught me courage,

in the midst of disaster,

that there is a resurrection,

for those who keep fighting,

living in the memories,

yet free – with forgiveness.

You’ve shown me,

that creation does sing,

making sense of darkness,

and to always look up,

with strength, and compassion,

letting the heart flow.

You have taught me well, my brothers,

and I am forever,

grateful.

Note: Even though this is about First Nations people, I consider all people, my brothers, and sisters.

Image from Pinterest taken in 1900

Blessings to everyone, and peace!

“If you love nature, you will love people.”

The Escape IV – The Cove

Contemporary Microfiction

It was the sheer beauty of the place. Everywhere he looked he thought of Rachel, wishing she could see, what he was seeing. He loved the Caribbean, and the Bahamas were no exception. She would have loved it here.

For Jonathan and Elaine, this was a retreat. They didn’t come to the Bahamas for the casinos and nightclubs, they wanted peace and quiet. Yet, if any of them wanted the nightlife, there was plenty of it not far away. Belinda let down the anchor once the Escape had reached a quiet cove. They hopped in the inflatable and went onshore.

After going through customs, they rented some scooters. Chuck and Robert headed one way and Jonathan, Elaine, and Belinda went another. As they road through the town, Chuck was having a great time, laughing and smiling, talking about the women they passed, “She’s gorgeous! Did you see her?” Robert only managed an occasional smile.

He also imagined Rachel on the back of his scooter, seeing it all with him. But the grief was starting again, even if he did love the place. He almost wrecked the scooter once, going straight where there was no road, instead of leaning into the curve. “Dude, what is wrong with you?” Chuck began chiding him, but once he looked at Robert’s face he knew what the deal was. “Man, I’m sorry, but you’ve got to go on living”, was all he could say.

That night it was only Chuck and Robert on board the Escape sleeping. Jonathan and Elaine had gone to a resort for some “privacy”, and Belinda decided to check out the nightclubs. Chuck was worried sick about her, but they both knew she was old enough to take care of herself. Did Chuck like her? He wasn’t sure.

It was 5:30 am when Belinda came back on board, stumbling, making a lot of noise. She had taken a water taxi. Chuck was enraged at being woken up. By 6:00, Robert was up for good, and decided he needed the solitude of a beach. He left a note for Belinda and Chuck, and took the inflatable.

As he steered towards the beach, he thought of Jonathan and Elaine, and the pain and suffering they had been through. Occasionally he thought he saw something like grief in their eyes. How do you make love to a woman with no chest? Did they cry, trying to make love? It was too much to think about.

Tears. He was tired of tears. Once he was on the beach, he pulled the boat on shore, and looked at his watch. “Oh God!”, he said out loud, as he sank to his knees. Tomorrow, was his 6^th wedding anniversary…….he was determined though, to stop the pain…….and the grieving. He needed to live again.

To be continued.

Blessings to everyone, and peace!

“If you love nature, you will love people.”

Four Feet One Heart

Four feet walking the path,

one heart beating.

Did you ever think we would be here?

walking to the light,

the earth caressing our souls,

as if there was no tomorrow,

speaking,

of His love.

There is eternity in the waves,

listen,

you can hear the angels,

and the rhythm of certainty.

Take my hand, shhh,

we’re not leaving yet,

this is just a foretaste,

as your lips meet mine,

our prayers held safe,

with four feet,

firmly planted,

one heart beating.

Blessings to everyone, and peace!

“If you love nature, you will love people.”

Body and Soul

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.

John Muir

Scottish born John Muir, worked for most of his life to preserve the wilderness of the American west. He was a conservationist before there was such a thing. Muir helped the National Parks become established, with the National Parks Bill passing Congress in 1890. This bill established Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. He was often called the “Mountain Prophet”, and is now considered the, “Father of the National Parks”. His books have inspired millions.

In this quote, Muir so beautifully illustrates the connection of the physical and spiritual worlds. For Muir the spiritual was deeply rooted in nature, or perhaps nature was deeply rooted in the spiritual. Nature is also good for the body. I love the expression, we need, “beauty as well as bread”. Life is more than just the physical world, it is more than just spiritual world. It is both at the same time, and both are equally important.

Peace.

This is day 3 of the 3 Day Quote Challenge given to me Kavita at KVision and Elisabet at An Elephant Named Buddha. Thank you!

Blessings to everyone.

“If you love nature, you will love people.”

Mr. and Mrs. Nicodemas

My Love is on the left, and that’s me on the right. Do you like our hats? This was meant to be funny, so I hope you are laughing!!

This is just a note to let you know we are going to be traveling, sometimes home and sometimes not. I’m hoping to walk on sand again, and sip some great iced tea (no lemon). I’ll be watching the waves put me to sleep, and getting some reading done. Since most of you know I love Rumi, and Gibran, do you have any suggestions for similar types of books?

I also wanted to let you know I may not be stopping by as often, visiting your sites. You know how I love your work though, so I will return full throttle in about two weeks. I will still post here once or twice a day.

Peace and let me know about books you recommend!

Blessings to everyone, and peace!

“If you love nature, you will love people.”

Month: June 2015

Thoughts about Awards

Insight

Muskets

A Lifetime of Beauty

The Escape V – Solitude

Grateful

The Escape IV – The Cove

Four Feet One Heart

Body and Soul

Mr. and Mrs. Nicodemas

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