We thirst for an emotional tide to wash over us and cleanse our mind.
Maybe it is peace of mind or a small inkling of what Siddhārtha Gautama felt was enlightenment. Scientists may tell us it is a releasing of endorphins that saturate our system. If we are lucky, at one time in our lives we have all felt it…if only for a moment.
Imagine, if you will, all cares and worries being replaced with a deep and satisfying breath. A warming, comfortable ray of sunshine on your face. Your eyes closed, relaxed.
One moment. One gratifying moment of your day. Your life.
What does it take for us to repeat that one moment? Is it necessary for us to endure a lifetime of study, reflection and sacrifice? Must we adhere to strict rules of diet and exercise? Are we left to realize our fleeting moments are random or involuntary?
One moment.
It’s been a while since I’ve gotten all existential on you. It’s probably been since spring, when the weather was cool and the days were filled with the fresh aroma of new life blooming across the landscape. I would not fault you for rolling your eyes. Sometimes I read what I’ve written and roll my own eyes. But in reflection, I notice a pattern…
My moods ebb with the seasons. That deep and satisfying breath comes with a chill in the breeze, a change in the colors and the cacophony of rain and snow and wind. Mother Nature comes alive from her slumber during summer’s blister and offers a seasonal rain to wash away the laziness and invite us into her home.
The blue’s are bluer, the yellow’s are yellower, the red’s are redder…
Autumn explodes unto the senses. The inviting calm before the winter storms gives free pass to those willing to explore just a little bit further. The beeping and honking of machines man made begin to slowly lilt and fade, becoming but a memory from our former selves. The day becomes timeless, endless. The walk along a quiet path becomes an adventure for the ages, a journey into a world of unimaginable wonder and inexplicable beauty.
Our mind.
Shade covers our face and offers a life affirming chill before we continue on and are welcomed into the open arms of the sun. A chirp or a caw rings out like a chorus and the warming bark of a nearby tree fills our senses. Mother Nature watches over us, and we can almost see her smile…
The deep breath.
Our one moment.
Greg Morton 
Thank you so much for this.
I think I will start to see some things in another way.
Mother Nature shows us so many different things and I realize it as I started to take pictures what I did not long ago. So in that way I´m a newbie 🙂
Really great Greg.
Mel
I’m SO HAPPY you liked it!! It’s funny how we change and evolve, like the seasons, and yet we’re still the same people we were…just different. Ha ha ha!
Thanks for stopping in and sharing, my friend!!!
This is a loving account of the connectedness of things. As a closet Zen Buddhist I try to achieve this state as often as I can and the presence of nature enables me to do so, too. Well, that said, perhaps I shall now take a break and go for a run in Central Park. There’s an old red tail hawk that I swear greets me and follows me around the reservoir every time I take that route. Cheers Greg!
That’s AWESOME. Red tails are pretty common here, too. I’m sure a run in Central Park is pretty amazing. I can only imagine being able to set out of the incredible metropolis that is NYC and into a wilderness (albeit small in comparison) like Central Park. What an amazing experience…
Dearest Greg,
Loved your thoughts and completely agree. I love the passing of the seasons. I, especially, experience these noticeable changes of the seasons living on the east coast. Both autumn and spring are my favorite seasons for the reasons you mentioned above. A new awakening both in Mother Nature as well as within ourselves, if only for a moment.
Thanks Dava!! The spring and autumn seasons are pretty incredible. I still find it amazing how quickly I find inner peace once I’ve had a full day out in the wilderness. I get it each time I release myself from terra firma and float among the waves in the ocean, but being able to walk along the dirt and smell the trees and hear the birds is a completely different experience for me. Equally spiritual and life giving…
Beautiful, haunting, thought-provoking. I have linked this with a poem on Source of Inspiration. Thank you, hugs, pat
Thank you Pat!! I appreciate your support! This poem was a labor of love, for sure. I’m glad to see that it has reached so many people. Hugs to you…
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Meditate.
It’s funny you should write this. I have wanted to practice meditation for years, but can’t find the discipline during my daily life. Until…
I walk into the forest or I step into the ocean. Then I find that my mind is focused, relaxed and at peace. It is meditation at its most fluent and functional core.
Thanks for sharing Juliana. SO GREAT to see you here again. I hope all is well, my friend.
There are a lot of different ways to meditate, one of which is called walking meditation, e.g. like a walk through nature and attending to the details, etc.
Thank you for your wise words, and sharing your personal experiences, giving us a look at what is within.
You’re welcome, my friend. I didn’t have to think much about this, it pretty much just flowed out of me. I’m so happy you like it!!
Reblogged this on Eremophila's Musings and commented:
Thoughtful writing.
You ROCK!! Thanks so much for re-posting this.! I’m so happy you liked it!!
You’re most welcome, it was great to read 🙂