When you look at a field of sunflowers…even though they all share the same name
you quickly notice how no two sunflowers are the same.
How each sunflower has their own unique beauty…their own allure…their own appeal
How each sunflower’s beauty enhances the beauty of the field.
Sunflowers, raindrops, trees, leaves….are are all doing their best to reach us….
I wonder if we humans will ever learn…what nature is trying to teach us.
We stood in front of a field of sunflowers…mesmerized by every one…
and watched each sunflower under a cloudy sky…do it’s best to find the sun.
They looked a little confused…at least to this passerby
because it is their nature to follow the sun as she moves across the sky.
We watched as they slowly turned their heads in their attempt to find her
wondering if they were now in front…or somewhere close behind her.
Walking among these sunflowers gently swaying in the breeze
we noticed how so many of the flowers were visited by the bees.
As we stopped to watch this little ballet…we were suddenly entranced
and we wondered if while watching bees and sunflowers
is where people were first enticed to dance.
We watched as nature’s vibrant colors…blended together without constraints
and we wondered if it was in a field of sunflowers
where artists were first enticed to paint.
We watched birds land on the sunflowers…
and when we heard the music each one would bring…
we wondered if listening to the voices of the birds in a field of sunflowers
is where people were first enticed to sing.
We watched the sunflowers in the breeze smile an hold leaves as they swayed
and we wondered if it was in a field of sunflowers
where people were first enticed to play.
Of course we can’t be certain sunflowers were the inspiration….
for play, for art, for dance and for music too
but standing among them on that day…it felt like it is true.
And what better place could there be…for thoughts like these to peak
than standing and watching as the sun and her field of sunflowers…
played a game of hide and seek
I am grateful that from a time when was young…
before most of the art of my life was drawn…
I have understood what’s important to me
and what my life’s art should be focusing on
May we be blessed when looking for inspiration…
for someone to support and guide us…
not to look at who is ahead or behind us…
but to those who walk beside us.
Having observed so many diverse relationships over the years got me thinking…
to be precise…
I wonder what would you’d say If your son or daughter came to you,
told you they were in love…and asked for your advice…
Knowing they are looking to you…for support…for inspiration…for some cues
when they’re standing innocently in front of you…what questions would you choose?
Do you love each other? Would probably be the first question to cross you mind.
followed by, How does this person treat you…are they forgiving, gentle…kind?
Does this person make you feel special?…Do they make you feel worthwhile?
Does this person make you happy?…Does this person make you smile?
Is this person kind to animals, the environment and everyone they meet?
Does this person anger easily?…Is their disposition sweet?
Does this person make you laugh…and those times you cry…
does this person hold your hand and wipe the teardrops from your eyes?
Does this person love life…do they play and dance and sing?
When you’re with this person do you feel that you can do anything?
When your filled with joy and happiness…or on the other hand…sorrow and woe…
Is this the person you will call…the first one you want to know?
Does this person make you light up when you see them across a busy room or crowded street?
When you see this person smile…does your heart skip a beat?…
Are you comfortable sharing silence?…Do you miss each other when away?
Does this person show you how much they love you…a little every day?
If your son or daughter answers these question to your mutual satisfaction…
whether for a partner a husband or a wife…
you know they have a solid foundation on which to build a life.
This last question goes out to you…
Did you notice the most important questions you could ask…
now that you’re satisfied with the life they are about to begin:
had nothing to do with their sex, their gender, their religion…
or the color of their skin?
Today I am grateful for understanding the beauty of each raindrop.
as they fall on to the mountains, the rivers and the plains…
and how when all the raindrops come together…
they add their the beauty of the rain.
And I can only hope that one day we will al understand the beauty of each human
The beauty in the way each one of us is designed…
and how when all the humans come together
we add our beauty to humankind.
May we understand…no matter who we are…
Our gender, our religion, our nationality our name
The rain that falls from the sky
nourishes all of us the same.
And may we all someday be blessed
In the time for us that still remains…
To do our best when it comes to one another
To be more like the rain
In the mountains one of our favorite activities..because of all that it contains…
is to sit out on our porch and experience the rain.
Rain is free…it comes with no expectations…no restrictions…no expenses
It is a beauty to behold….a gift for all our senses.
We usually hear the rain announce itself…letting us know she’s on her way
when the distant thunder booms…and the sky turns a shade of grey.
Next we turn our attention to the wind as darker clouds assemble
as the leaves begin to quiver and the trees begin to tremble.
We smell rain in the air before we see it…alerting us as to what the clouds are making
It’s like detecting the aroma of cookies while they’re in the oven baking.
Now with smoky clouds covering all we see…so only a hint of the mountains remain
to our great pleasure from the safety of our porch…the sky begins to rain.
As we watch the raindrops bounce off the leaves and hear them on our rooftop pound…
we stretch or hands out to catch a few raindrops before they hit the ground.
Then remembering and wanting to relive a time when we were young.
we open or mouths and allow some raindrops to land upon our tongues.
The rain is a treat for all our senses…we find happiness there
where others may find gloom
because we understand the sky must weep…if flowers are to bloom.
Once the rain has ended…we look out on the glistening mountains
and we smile…
then we thank the rain for stopping by…and lingering a while.
And we think in that short time…how much there was to gain…
form the flowers, the trees the mountains…and us…
as we experienced the rain.
When I wake up I immediately feel grateful that I woke…
and then
I remind myself to make this day count
for I will never have this day again.
May we all be blessed to understand…
It’s up to us to find a way…
when we rise up in the morning…
to make the most of this beautiful day.
Sometimes as we age…as we hit the downside of our prime
we have a tendency to forget things…occasionally to lose track of the time.
And even though our memory becomes something we can’t always seem to manage
there are those days…those moments…when we can use this to our advantage.
The other day I woke up convinced that is was Friday…and although Fridays I adore
Deborah informed me early on…that it was the day before.
But because of the way this old man’s memory works…I didn’t feel betrayed…
On the contrary since it was Thursday instead of Friday…
in my mind I gained an entire day
Immediately I decided not to think of how the connections in my memory crossed
but to take advantage of the 24 hours I thought that I had lost.
It made my breakfast smoothie taste better than usual…putting a smile on my face…
Next we decided to play putt-putt in Maggie Valley at our favorite putt-putt place.
From putt-putt we headed to Joey’s pancake house for lunch…
(not wanting these precious added hours to stop)
where I ate lemon poppyseed pancakes with blueberry syrup on top.
For dinner we bought tuna subs from Subway
and took a picnic to our favorite place on the Blue Ridge Parkway to eat…
I even had them put double tuna on my sub…for an extra added treat.
In the evening we sat on our porch…the end of a day I’ll never forget
playing our favorite card game while watching a mountain sunset.
And I went to bed thinking how lucky I was…glad I had found a way
to enjoy every moment, every minute…every hour…of my extra day.
You might be thinking to yourself…that’s impossible…
there’s no way for anyone to can gain an entire day…
but my old brain,
and my old heart…
do not feel the same way.
