SILENT SPRING

 

Northern Lights

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength

that will endure as long as life lasts.

There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature,

the assurance that dawn comes after night,

and spring after winter.”

—Rachel Carson, Silent Spring.

SPRINGTIME RESURRECTION

Redbud and Dogwood, Jamestown, NC

In spite of the coronavirus pandemic, God is revealing himself right on schedule this spring with blooming redbuds and dogwoods, demonstrating that all things can be made new again.

REVEALING SECRETS HAIKU

Whirling Sunbeams, Jamestown, NC
Mottled Sunbeams, Jamestown, NC

Bright whirling sunbeams,
streak to the labyrinth core,
revealing secrets.

The colors within,
encapsulated in glass,
dye secret gardens.

Camellia blooms,
absorb colors and unfurl,
revealing secrets.

Warm mottled sunbeams,
belie tomorrow’s secret,
of spring snow showers.

MASTERS HAIKU

Masters Azalea, Jamestown, NC


Georgia paradise,
manicured lush green fairways,
pink azaleas,
the best golf in the kingdom.

SPRING’S PROMISE HAIKU

Camellia Bud, Jamestown, NC

The promise of spring,
stirs the hearts of all ages.
Optimism reigns,
as the circle of life spins.

Seasons come and go,
and each one has a lesson.
Spring teaches us all,
that patience is rewarding.

The warmth of sunbeams,
finally stirs the bush's sap.
The young buds respond,
and unfurl ruffled collars.

CAMILLIA HAIKU

Spring Camellia, Jamestown, NC

Spring camellias,
take their cue from the crocus.
When their shoots appear,
camellia blooms explode!

MELONCOLY HAIKU

Window Pane Rain Drops, Chicago, Il
Two Rain Drops, Jamestown, NC

Listening to the Stan Getz cut of “Spring Can Really Hang you Up the Most” while April rain drops on the window pane complete the perfect expression of melancholy.

Window pane rain drops,
and meloncoly sax notes,
hang you up the most.

THE PERFECT DAY

Spring Harbinger, Jamestown, NC
Morning Camellia, Jamestown, NC

Have you ever stopped the music and contemplated how you would spend “the perfect day”? What would the perfect day look like? The prophet Isaiah envisioned the perfect day after the end times with the hope of both nature and mankind fully restored to God’s will. Micah saw a peaceful pastoral scene where “they shall sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid…nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more”. Peace, prosperity, justice and care for all would be the norm. A new heaven and a new earth would be created and the old world of suffering and tears would be no more.

Jesus also taught that we should strive for the Kingdom of God here on earth today. Individually, we may not be able to stop all warring nations and hurricanes or all the heartache in our world today, but with a little bit of effort, we can interface with the world and be vessels of grace that can make a difference in someone’s world. Perhaps we can also be more mindful of the peace and beauty that surrounds us right now to make a difference in our own lives. Life can only be played out in the present moment. And every moment spent ruminating about the past or fretful of the future is a moment squandered forever.

Admittedly, not every day of our lives can be characterized as anything close to perfect. But many days are lost to us because we’re not consciously making it so. We’re not looking up at the rising sun or wispy cirrus clouds overhead; not pausing to listen to the song of a spring robin or appreciate the bright red color of a cardinal perched outside our window; not venturing outside to be the first to welcome emerging blooms of daffodils and camellias; watching mindless television shows instead of experiencing the joy of reading a book that teaches us new life lessons; or perhaps passing up a candid conversation with our Creator or fellow journeymen that validates our relational image. So, how would I describe a perfect day? Well, today of course! And besides, it’s the only game in town.

ABSORB BEAUTY

Reflecting Beauty, Jamestown, NC

The bright sunlight of spring ushers in a much welcomed time of the year after the dark bleakness associated with the fallow winter. And with springtime comes the beauty of blooming colors all around us. A Facebook friend recently posted a thought by a person I have absolutely no knowledge of but like the sentiment. Paramahansa Yogananda is quoted as musing that “Life has a bright side and a dark side, for the world is composed of light and shadows. If you permit your thoughts to dwell on evil, you yourself will become ugly. Look only for the good in everything, that you absorb the quality of beauty”. One eyeglass maker has a specially coated lens that is sensitive to light and reacts to it. When we look for the bad aspects of life, it coats the lens through which we view life until we can only see darkness. But when we look for the goodness in life, the lens opens up to the Light of the World and its beauty.

I don’t believe we should ever live with the false illusion that there is no evil or darkness around us, but I also believe that we see in life what we look for in life. And it is well that we seek out the goodness of life that can rise out of the ashes of darkness after the flames of destruction have passed. New spring life rises out of the recycled star dust of every winter season. The shining love of our creator is reflected by every new creation we look for and absorb.

ONE MAN’S PROBLEM

Snowy Lenton Rose, Jamestown, NC

For some reason, I still remember a quote from a television western after a bloody shootout on the dusty main street of an old weathered cowboy town. The sheriff was the last man standing as his deputy approached bemoaning the sad fate of those lying dead in the street. “Well”, the calloused old sheriff dryly remarked, “One man’s problem is another man’s opportunity. The undertaker now has a windfall of new business”!

As we turned over our calendars to the first full day of spring this week, the weather outside for most of the country was anything but spring like. A trough of arctic cold air has enveloped much of the country as the jet stream dipped far south, bringing icy conditions and hard freezes. Newly planted pansies have fallen over in response and the budding maple trees have abruptly stopped their leaves from opening in a desperate move to save them from certain destruction. The skies are overcast and depressing as the north winds add to the chill factor and rapidly penetrate your skin in a bone chilling second!

The prolonged wintery weather has now prompted an Ohio prosecutor to indict Pennsylvania’s infamous Punxsutawney Phil for fraud after he predicted an early spring by not seeing his shadow! But for me, all this icy grief is perfect. I’m in the rehabilitation stage of a total knee replacement. I love to get outside at the heralding of the first robin’s song and dig in the dirt. But I can’t effectively do that right now, which accounts for the elective timing of my surgery. March Madness is in the air and I love college basketball. March Madness is at its best when the north winds are howling and you can nestle into your favorite chair with some appropriate snacks and go channel surfing for all the games that are simultaneously in action all around the country. There’s no temptation to venture outside for competing warm spring weather activities if the wind chill outside is below zero. That may be a problem for some folks in Ohio, but not for me--One man’s problem……