Friday, June 28, 2013

It's a Wonderful Life



There are moments when I am overcome with wonder at the incredible array of life on this planet. It is simply breathtaking. Have you ever looked at the blossom on a mimosa tree? It’s a thing of beauty and so unique with its look of puffy softness, created by hundreds of tiny fingers of color reaching for the light. Or the colors and patterns on a turtle’s shell, different on each turtle. Miraculous! The variety of shades of green and blooms in our garden is mind blowing! The heck with those shades of gray, have you ever really looked at trees or the grass or a garden and seen how many shades of green there are? I think Crayola could do a box of 64 just for green.

Then there are the birds! I recently did some birding with my sisters and going through the bird identification book made me laugh. Identifying them depends upon the slightest variation in color on the head or curve in the beak or length of the legs. And it was true, there could be two white birds wading through the water in front of us and one could be a snowy egret and the other a great egret or even an immature little blue heron, and don’t even get me started on the sandpipers and dowitchers! Or take a look at trees. There are 60 species of oak trees native to the US alone each with a different shape to its leaves or a different texture to its bark. Of course, let me not forget the amazing humans in our world. Even they come in a vast assortment of skin colors and hair colors, some with freckles, some with long fingers or small feet or round bellies, all with beautiful smiles.

For me it is a joy to bear witness to the magnificent expression of life on this lovely planet. What a gift to be able to watch with wonder the bounty and beauty all around.