So true. My favorite wake-up is the hummingbirds flying up in front of my face, saying hello, hovering and asking 'What cha doing?!'.
Yesterday, sitting out in the fading sunlight, a Townsend's warbler, flew onto the bird water bowl. Black around his eyes, bright yellow head, fading to grey and black feathers. A very shy bird, Quick pit stop and then off he went. Awesome!
As in most of your observations Carrie,you always seem to remind me of the idea of really " seeing, understanding,or at the very least feel the moment at that very time".
Last winter,a deer with one front leg damaged, literally nearly off.I got incredibly sad and really no way to do too much.Thought their days were numbered.I did put some food out and hopes it might help . Several days later saw the deer again,leg completely was now only a stub,and it was still foraging as best it could.Thia was over a month or so.
I to this day think what strength,desire,survival ,in an animal.Ive always believed animals have more common sense,decency ,and survival instincts .I take heart in this and when I get down I remember ,this .A bit graphic as a " moment",but nature is pure and unforgiving if you let it .
On this year’s long walk, the proprietor of the Airbnb where I was staying caught me before my departure, warning me of a dangerous walking route and giving me an alternative. And so, on a silent early-morning country path, brightly lit by the full moon just past eclipse, already enthralled by my very being in this place, I hear a vague rustling in the nearby grain. In the moonlight moved three deer, unbothered by my presence, silhouetted against the drying grain made bright by moon and mist.
Often when deer visit our back yard I feel honored to be part of their lives to be present in their home. Yesterday there was a raccoon in daylight nosing around our bird feeders. He eyed the feeders, but moved on. His stripes were brilliant, his movement deliberate. He was in broad daylight! I had that same feeling of visitation. Your experience reminded me of Richard Rohr's meditations about St. Francis. Here is today's :https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQXJQSTGxdlNWrfGQvFvsMQwsNs
Autumn and spring have that ability to smack you in the face with beauty. There's an unmatch excitment that comes this time of year. Yesterday someone said "January" to me and it made me feel the cold air on my nose, looking forward to that feeling...and I'm not a winter person!
My 3 goldfinches moment happened just recently. Last week my daughter was home from college for 4 days and was camping with our trailer. The park she was camping at was virtually empty. Camping season is drawing to a close here in Ontario. It was a damp wet day and that means my arthritis is not very nice to me. I needed to get up and get moving so my daughter and I decided to take my little dog for a walk. The campground was empty and quiet as we walked. I was frustrated at the pain in my back from a car accident 5 years ago that hinders me from doing so much. We walked a huge loop in the park and all I could think about was how much my back hurt, missing all creation that was around me. About 3/4 of the way around I wasn’t sure I could keep going my back hurt so bad. Even my daughter offered to go get the car and pick me up. As we stopped for a moment to rest,I looked over to my left and not too far from me in an empty campsite there was a rabbit looking right at me. We all stood there in silence looking at it. Even my little dog was quiet. As I looked back at it, It was as if the rabbit was telling me, You can do it! For that moment I forgot about my frustration with my sore back and was able to finish out the walk. ( even animals can remind you that you can do this hard thing!) Thank you Carrie for this reminder to pay attention.
Carrie your description so perfectly describes that space in which I often get stuck: “…spin cycle, rinse, regret, rewind and repeat…”
In my early morning sleep a dream, a large otherworldly buck looks at me, so close I see only his face and a bit of strong neck. Our eyes meet. He gazes into me and mine. I fill with awe. I am seen.
Goldfinches always make me smile with their looping flight - they seem to be always playing. I find myself smiling with instant joy when they cross paths with me. And how I love their bright colors!
And here in Iowa there are some that turn brown and stay for the winter. It gives me something to anticipate n the spring when they start to change back to yellow
One of my moments I have experienced is one day I set out to walk off some discontent I was feeling(anger). I headed for my favorite spot in the woods. This section I was walking was quite dense & thick not much stirring , as I was walking head down & in my head replaying old tapes. Suddenly the thought came to stop, look. As I did there approximately 15 feet was a red tail hawk sitting on a log close to ground level, as I looked closer I noticed the hawk had captured a snake & I was disturbing its lunch. I watched as it flew off through the thick forest dodging branches, trees.
Magnificent creature, brought to the present & to appreciate what is within my sight which is the present & all the gifts that are in the here & now.
What a beautiful way to start my Sunday. Loving reading everyone’s experiences. I am reminded of a day many years ago when I was staying in India- and was overwhelmed with all I was experiencing around me, seeing the expanse of need and I lost in my thoughts of how to cope. It was at that moment when a boy of about 8 walked up to me and handed me a rose. He smiled and walked away. I was stunned at his gesture of kindness- and reminded that there is always beauty wherever we are. I return to this moment when I feel lost and overwhelmed as a reminder that beauty and kindness are there- and will find me if I look up.
I was Gardening in my backyard one day, so many lists of things I was sure I needed to get done, my mind dashing in many directions. It seemed important to get the border of the flower bed neater, so I moved a large rock to the side, in order to weed beneath it. Instead, I met the largest spider I have ever encountered, its body at least the size of a quarter, a little fuzzy, and definitely fierce looking, it moved a bit at the shock of sudden sunlight, but did not totally retreat. I looked in awe at this neighbor of mine, living in a different world, 25 feet from my back door, studying for a moment before I gently placed the rock where it had been as I thanked my neighbor for being kind enough to let me gaze upon her, for a moment. Suddenly the garden looked like a beautiful world of discovery.
My son and I and our dog, Andy, had come up to our Minnesota cabin a few days ahead of the rest of the family. We had just left the cabin to go for a walk on the nearby trail system. Suddenly a majestic bald eagle flew alongside the car at what felt like an arms length away. I could look into the eagle’s eye as it flew parallel to us for at least a half mile. It felt like a gift.
Good morning Carrie. Yes, I was sitting on my deck just this morning, watching the birds fight over the last of the seed in the feeder. Pretty much with a blank expression and thinking about something I shouldn't be thinking about, maybe a "poor me" moment. I noticed a movement along the back fence line, The local Red Fox came to visit. Pacing back and forth, and then finally sitting, looking at me. I could feel the invitation, "pay attention". Then he scampered off behind the trees. Pay attention, it's that simple. You are right Carrie, it's all around us. It doesn't only happen in the present moment. See you tonight, in Chicago.
I think you might appreciate a poem I wrote after the convention SHE VERSUS HE
She gives us hope for keeping the freedoms we still have
He's the one that took them away and bragged about it
She understands real people
He doesn't understand anything.
She comes from a middle class background
He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth
She wants to help us be a nation that is united
He wants to keep us divided
She cares about other people
He only cares about himself
Who will you choose
I don't think it's a hard choice
Do you?
©️Jackie Newport August 21, 2024
Every Little Bit of It! So beautiful! Thank you! 🏩
So true. My favorite wake-up is the hummingbirds flying up in front of my face, saying hello, hovering and asking 'What cha doing?!'.
Yesterday, sitting out in the fading sunlight, a Townsend's warbler, flew onto the bird water bowl. Black around his eyes, bright yellow head, fading to grey and black feathers. A very shy bird, Quick pit stop and then off he went. Awesome!
As in most of your observations Carrie,you always seem to remind me of the idea of really " seeing, understanding,or at the very least feel the moment at that very time".
Last winter,a deer with one front leg damaged, literally nearly off.I got incredibly sad and really no way to do too much.Thought their days were numbered.I did put some food out and hopes it might help . Several days later saw the deer again,leg completely was now only a stub,and it was still foraging as best it could.Thia was over a month or so.
I to this day think what strength,desire,survival ,in an animal.Ive always believed animals have more common sense,decency ,and survival instincts .I take heart in this and when I get down I remember ,this .A bit graphic as a " moment",but nature is pure and unforgiving if you let it .
🐧☮️
On this year’s long walk, the proprietor of the Airbnb where I was staying caught me before my departure, warning me of a dangerous walking route and giving me an alternative. And so, on a silent early-morning country path, brightly lit by the full moon just past eclipse, already enthralled by my very being in this place, I hear a vague rustling in the nearby grain. In the moonlight moved three deer, unbothered by my presence, silhouetted against the drying grain made bright by moon and mist.
A transcendent gift, to be sure.
Often when deer visit our back yard I feel honored to be part of their lives to be present in their home. Yesterday there was a raccoon in daylight nosing around our bird feeders. He eyed the feeders, but moved on. His stripes were brilliant, his movement deliberate. He was in broad daylight! I had that same feeling of visitation. Your experience reminded me of Richard Rohr's meditations about St. Francis. Here is today's :https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQXJQSTGxdlNWrfGQvFvsMQwsNs
Autumn and spring have that ability to smack you in the face with beauty. There's an unmatch excitment that comes this time of year. Yesterday someone said "January" to me and it made me feel the cold air on my nose, looking forward to that feeling...and I'm not a winter person!
If GOD didn’t occasionally withdraw some of the good things and give us a short rest, how would we be able to so enjoy it when he send them back?
And are you sure those were Goldfinches? Good things have been known to come in threes.
My 3 goldfinches moment happened just recently. Last week my daughter was home from college for 4 days and was camping with our trailer. The park she was camping at was virtually empty. Camping season is drawing to a close here in Ontario. It was a damp wet day and that means my arthritis is not very nice to me. I needed to get up and get moving so my daughter and I decided to take my little dog for a walk. The campground was empty and quiet as we walked. I was frustrated at the pain in my back from a car accident 5 years ago that hinders me from doing so much. We walked a huge loop in the park and all I could think about was how much my back hurt, missing all creation that was around me. About 3/4 of the way around I wasn’t sure I could keep going my back hurt so bad. Even my daughter offered to go get the car and pick me up. As we stopped for a moment to rest,I looked over to my left and not too far from me in an empty campsite there was a rabbit looking right at me. We all stood there in silence looking at it. Even my little dog was quiet. As I looked back at it, It was as if the rabbit was telling me, You can do it! For that moment I forgot about my frustration with my sore back and was able to finish out the walk. ( even animals can remind you that you can do this hard thing!) Thank you Carrie for this reminder to pay attention.
Carrie your description so perfectly describes that space in which I often get stuck: “…spin cycle, rinse, regret, rewind and repeat…”
In my early morning sleep a dream, a large otherworldly buck looks at me, so close I see only his face and a bit of strong neck. Our eyes meet. He gazes into me and mine. I fill with awe. I am seen.
Goldfinches always make me smile with their looping flight - they seem to be always playing. I find myself smiling with instant joy when they cross paths with me. And how I love their bright colors!
And here in Iowa there are some that turn brown and stay for the winter. It gives me something to anticipate n the spring when they start to change back to yellow
One of my moments I have experienced is one day I set out to walk off some discontent I was feeling(anger). I headed for my favorite spot in the woods. This section I was walking was quite dense & thick not much stirring , as I was walking head down & in my head replaying old tapes. Suddenly the thought came to stop, look. As I did there approximately 15 feet was a red tail hawk sitting on a log close to ground level, as I looked closer I noticed the hawk had captured a snake & I was disturbing its lunch. I watched as it flew off through the thick forest dodging branches, trees.
Magnificent creature, brought to the present & to appreciate what is within my sight which is the present & all the gifts that are in the here & now.
Also happy I wasn't the snake.😀
I often have to remind myself to stop and look. Thanks for sharing 🙂
What a beautiful way to start my Sunday. Loving reading everyone’s experiences. I am reminded of a day many years ago when I was staying in India- and was overwhelmed with all I was experiencing around me, seeing the expanse of need and I lost in my thoughts of how to cope. It was at that moment when a boy of about 8 walked up to me and handed me a rose. He smiled and walked away. I was stunned at his gesture of kindness- and reminded that there is always beauty wherever we are. I return to this moment when I feel lost and overwhelmed as a reminder that beauty and kindness are there- and will find me if I look up.
Yes! Lovely❤️🙏
I was Gardening in my backyard one day, so many lists of things I was sure I needed to get done, my mind dashing in many directions. It seemed important to get the border of the flower bed neater, so I moved a large rock to the side, in order to weed beneath it. Instead, I met the largest spider I have ever encountered, its body at least the size of a quarter, a little fuzzy, and definitely fierce looking, it moved a bit at the shock of sudden sunlight, but did not totally retreat. I looked in awe at this neighbor of mine, living in a different world, 25 feet from my back door, studying for a moment before I gently placed the rock where it had been as I thanked my neighbor for being kind enough to let me gaze upon her, for a moment. Suddenly the garden looked like a beautiful world of discovery.
I’ve always been afraid of spiders but I am learning to look at them as fellow creatures on the earth, just doing what spiders do.
My son and I and our dog, Andy, had come up to our Minnesota cabin a few days ahead of the rest of the family. We had just left the cabin to go for a walk on the nearby trail system. Suddenly a majestic bald eagle flew alongside the car at what felt like an arms length away. I could look into the eagle’s eye as it flew parallel to us for at least a half mile. It felt like a gift.
Good morning Carrie. Yes, I was sitting on my deck just this morning, watching the birds fight over the last of the seed in the feeder. Pretty much with a blank expression and thinking about something I shouldn't be thinking about, maybe a "poor me" moment. I noticed a movement along the back fence line, The local Red Fox came to visit. Pacing back and forth, and then finally sitting, looking at me. I could feel the invitation, "pay attention". Then he scampered off behind the trees. Pay attention, it's that simple. You are right Carrie, it's all around us. It doesn't only happen in the present moment. See you tonight, in Chicago.