All in Nature
Growing Gratitude
One of my favorite Henry David Thoreau quotes is “It's the beauty within us that makes it possible for us to recognize the beauty around us. The question is not what you look at but what you see.” To me this means that we can look at just about anything and find beauty if we ourselves are filled with positivity. Even if something isn’t classically attractive there can still be beauty in its purpose or being.
Little Gifts
That is the thing about good friends. Spending time with them is just as easy as breathing. Hours pass so quickly that you think it’s only been minutes. For me there was something life affirming about a few hours spent enjoying animals and nature with a life long friend. The wildflowers we picked were a reminder that life doesn’t have to grow according to plan in order to be beautiful. We were able to pick a collection of vibrant flowers from different locations as our walk progressed. Isn’t that just like life? We pick things up along the way that brighten our days and make life better.
Mother Duck(er)!
But we aren’t like a duck who spends a few months with her offspring or a spider whose job is done after a few weeks . No, for a human, the role as mother usually lasts for decades (even though we can technically be done after 18 years). And unlike the animals we are not merely trying to guarantee our survival and that of our species.
