Layers

Today I am grateful for pillows. They provide comfort and support in bed and when I am sitting on our couch. I appreciate the other sources of comfort and support in my life, animate and inanimate. 

Pillows are layers of support. Speaking of layers, that is what comes to mind when I look at this picture I took a couple days ago:

This is a wetland area near the Mississippi River and one of my favorite views of the seasons as they come and go. The new spring green of the leaves on the trees in the middle layer offers a nice contrast to the fallow grasses that will soon take on more green hues too, and the sky above with the spread of clouds among the blue. 

Nature's layers are ever-evolving. These evolutions are a source of awe and one reason why being outdoors calls to me on a daily basis. It energizes me to be part of this grand transformation taking place in big and small ways each day, each moment.

I find this picture soothing; like Nature soothes me, slows me down, demands my attention. And in the slowing down, mental and emotional layers within my head and heart are revealed. 

Sometimes they are unpleasant, like the cold breeze that was blowing when I took this picture. Sometimes they are peaceful and warm, helping me settle into a calm presence and find some clarity. Without one, I won't have the other. The layers of my thoughts and feelings will only bring out the beauty within when there is contrast and transformation.