Nature was still

Go to the nearest window. Look out for a full minute. Write about what you saw.

This is today’s Daily Prompt.  At first I wasn’t going to write on it.  I have a beautiful view that I thought I actually saw each day.  But, while waiting for my coffee this morning, I stood at my patio door and looked out to my back yard.

At first, it looked the same.  Deck with winter dirty furniture on it.  Dormant grass, leafless trees and the pond.  I stood and actually started to see what I was looking at.  There is a difference, you know.

The pond was still.  No ripples, no currents.  No fish jumping, or turtles swimming, nothing.  Still as the glass I was looking through.  The morning sun reflected on the water.  The brown, dry reeds on the other side of the pond swayed almost without causing notice.  I looked at their reflection in the pond.  The sun made the dry brown reeds look golden when their image reflected on the still water.  They were very pretty.  So pretty, I thought I might venture over and walk around by them.  That is the marsh side of the pond.  I have been over there a few times, but haven’t ventured over there recently.  It was tempting.

I stood and looked at the beauty of my yard.  I didn’t notice the deck needed cleaned.  I didn’t notice the window also needed cleaning.  I just saw an invitation from nature to come and visit.

As my alloted minute was about to end, a great grey heron flew from the corner of the pond and soared between the houses.  What an excellent end to a minute.

As I drank my coffee, I returned to the window.  It was such a pleasant experience, I thought I would continue.

Shortly after coffee this morning, we ventured out to walk our puppy.  Hubby and I took a longer walk today, which suited me just fine.  I was in the mood to get out into this beckoning nature I had witnessed.

We left the quiet of the house and heard the stillness of nature.  Well, not really.  The air was alive with the sound of birds chirping and calling out to one another.  Crows were perched in leafless trees cawing to one another.  There was the distant sound of traffic on the interstate. Squirrels jumped from tree to tree, busy in their days.  There was life to the nature I quietly viewed.

As I sit and write this, the wind has picked up just a bit.  The reeds across the pond are dancing now and the pond is full of ripples.  The reflections are broken up and longer.  The marsh seems alive.  Not quiet like this morning.

Still, there is an invitation to come and visit.  To be in the midst of the palette given to us by our Creator.  He leads us beside still waters.  He restores our soul.  He paints the sky with colors so vivid we stand in awe of them.  He created the life that is not still, the squirrels, the birds, the herons, and the snakes living in the marsh across the pond.

I am grateful that I stopped today and looked beyond my boundaries.  I am glad I actually saw what was in front of me.  Too often, I think, we do not see the beauty and the joy and the invitations issued to us by what surrounds us.  I hope that this is not just a short, quick lesson for me.  I hope that I actually stop to look at what is in front of me from now on.

Thanks for stopping by.  I appreciate your visit.  DAF

Advertisement