I Heart Macro Week 17

In this season of turning;

May each seed sown grow into a mighty oak, branches opened wide, a gesture of compassion, roots descending deep anchoring kindness in the soil of every heart, guardians of peace, messengers of love. Let war become a nightmare long forgotten, generosity, humility, respect the reality we expect, accept and know.

It is a lot to ask in a world habitually accustomed to spilling the blood of the “other,” pretzel logic reasoning; bombs will protect our own here, and somehow on far away shores, those we feel akin to, distant cousins. Aren’t we all at the core sisters and brothers, sharing genetic memory across every populated continent? I don’t like to get political, assume that everyone agrees with me, I know some will, many won’t. But I have a voice and though I often choose silence, rather than risk making a stir, causing discomfort, anger or contention, I feel obligated by my conscience dwelling in the midst of the Days of Awe, Yom Kippur just six days away to say: there just has to be another way! Violence to end violence does not work, history teaches us this, and even if military action dims certain flames briefly, the ashes will continue to smolder. I do not know the answer to this eternal human puzzle, yet this question continues to knock on the door of my heart: how can we be present as ambassadors of peace, of hope, of healing, take wise action without increasing suffering? I pray that world leaders will seek answers from this same place in their own hearts, and listen to the good counsel of kindness within. 

AND NOW...

Welcome to our Sixteenth Week of I Heart Macro

"Pure awareness transcends thinking... It allows you to look at the world once again with open eyes. And when you do so, a sense of wonder and quiet contentment begins to reappear in your life."~Mark Williams and Danny Pennman, from Mindfulness An Eight-

It is time for YOU to share the love up-close with YOUR

I Heart Macro offerings!

<center> <a href="http://www.shinethedivinecreativityisaspiritualpractice.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Shine the Divine" src=" http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5024/5613077984_0632a92989_o.jpg"/></a></center>

Enjoy slowing down with your camera, paying full attention, observing beauty and curiosities many people pass right by. Your generosity of spirit and keen eyes may open the door to miniscule miracles and mirth others would not have access to otherwise. Feel free to include poetry, prose and thoughts your macro photo or series inspire(s) in you. Writing is completely optional for participation. Straight out of the camera (SOC), edited, color, black and white; anything goes as long as you bring the viewer near to whatever it is that drew your heart's attention and "woke you up" to full presence.

Please link back to my blog either using the button provided or by linking the words "I Heart Macro" back to my blog with this link: shinethedivinecreativityisaspiritualpractice.com. By sharing the link, visitors to your blog will learn about this meme and have a chance to participate as well if they so choose. 

Visit each other...

S  p  r  e  a  d  the  LOVE. Thanks :-)

linking to:

macro monday 2

d'verse

realtoads

nature notes

guest heart thursday