"Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known." ~A. A. Milne (sage wisdom from Winnie the Pooh)
....and then we walk away, forget it all and have to learn again. that's a good thing... practice, practice and more practice.
beneath dense ice the river journeys onward
it knows which way to go.
perhaps if like the river we relax into the flow of time
we too will always know which way to go,
rhythmically moving toward deeper understanding, love, connection and contentment.
one leaf
resisting? or resting?
it is a matter of perspective, don't you think?
brambles guarding river's edge
what thorny gates keep me from getting too close?
too close to what? to whom?
to myself? to others?
to haMakom?
*a name for God meaning "the Place"
just some meandering thoughts, as rivers have a way of waking us to wondering.
I like these river ice photos very much!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if a leaf can resist, but your photos are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAmazing pictures.
ReplyDeleteappreciating the morning FLOAT!
ReplyDeletejust noticed fetzer institute...it's four miles from my house, and through our kalamazoo intstitute for the arts, we often go out there for sessions.
ReplyDeletegilchrist, their retreat center, is about 20 miles away, and i am there often, alone or in sessons. organized a retreat for my book group last summer.
aw, connectedness shines on us.
Hello friends,
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and for taking time to appreciate the river photos. Sometimes gazing at a river even for a few moments feels as though we have traveled to a lovely retreat (like the one Neva describes on her blog today at Fetzer Institute).
I've been feeling a bit under the weather the past few days, so I'm sorry for not replying to individual responses. I suppose I'm having a bit of retreat of my own.
I'll be stopping by to visit you all soon, I'm sure:)
Nice metaphor! Beautiful imagery! Poetry in motion...
ReplyDeleteA great depiction of The Flow that underlies everything, that keeps going no matter what the obstacles... Nothing keeps us out - except our own beliefs... Relax into the Flow *beyond* time...
Feel better soon! Christine
The little leaf is only passing through... this branch above the stream, just another stop along the way. Not a stop of its choosing, perhaps, but maybe so... either way, it's happy just being a leaf.
ReplyDeleteSending healing warmth and light your way ~
Hi Laura,
ReplyDeleteWow! Those pictures were just so beautiful and powerful too.
I wish there is more I could say but I just love how you combine your thoughts with the pictures you take of things around you.
You are truly one of the most creative people I know.
Love and blessings,
Nadia- Happy Lotus
Laura,
ReplyDeleteYou know that I am a big fan of nature metaphor. Nature is my "God-connection" so these lovely photos of a river do take me deeper. I love to ponder what things in nature are doing, feeling, noticing about themselves--though I know that is not likely a reality--what I am doing is seeing myself in that scene. Flow like a river, what a powerful metaphor, and one I take to heart today. Thank you....
Hi Laura,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the post and the pics are terrific! Love it!!
i LOVED this read.perfect in words, wisdom and images.
ReplyDeletehello everyone,
ReplyDeleteThank you for all your thoughtful comments. Again I'm sorry for not adding individual responses to your comments. This little virus and low grade temp seems to be lingering like the single leaf in the photo. Now Rosie seems to have picked it up too. I'm hoping to visit with all of you soon.
xoxo
Laura, So often I think of my creative self as so connected to the flow of a river. Thank you the beautiful reflection. Peace, Nicki
ReplyDeleteLoved the meandering thoughts, river, and ice floats. What a wonderful juxtaposition of the fixed and the variable.
ReplyDeleteJudy
Love the photos, and the words...which I'm a bit short on this morning...ah well, here's somebody else's:
ReplyDeletePeople disagreeing on all just about everything, yeah,
Makes you stop and all wonder why.
Why only yesterday I saw somebody on the street
Who just couldn't help but cry.
Oh, this ol' river keeps on rollin', though,
No matter what gets in the way and which way the wind does blow,
And as long as it does I'll just sit here
And watch the river flow.
Bob Dylan
Lovely!
ReplyDeleteGreetings laura,
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts are with you this morning as I am thinking about the storm our weather person has informed us about is to hit the East Coast. A storm to deposit up to 30 inches of snow and at time falling at a rate of three inches per hour.
I can only hope that you are taken care of and will be fine while weathering the storm.
Thank you for sharing some more pictures with us. I for one have not forgotten to send you the tree picture as promised.
Warmest regards,
Egmont
This reminds me to let go and let flow. Your contemplations are ones for us all to share, to trust, to know.
ReplyDeleteMay you, too flow with the river. May you trust the way.
I didn't realize until tonight that you've been under the weather. May you continue to gain strength and trust in what your body tells you.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite photo is of the brambles on the edge of the river ~ that keep me from getting too close? to myself? Part of my journey has been to find a way around the "brambles." I will remember this photo when the next obstacle shows itself.
Beautiful....as always.
ReplyDelete