An Imposing Presence

Today I am grateful for our local community and the ways we have taken in the gifts and events it has to offer over the last few days. It feels good to be out and about.

I shared this poem about my favorite tree, along with a photo, yesterday via Instagram and Facebook. It is about a mile from our house, on what is also my favorite stretch of trail. 

Welcome Imposition 

The tree is expansive,
commanding more space 
than others nearby. 
It has seen more history 
than all of us. 
An imposing presence—
lofty and leaf-filled,
majestic and mystic,
ready,
resilient. 

A welcome imposition. 

LV

When I leave my house and run past the tree from this direction, it looks like the imposing figure I wrote about. When I am heading back home, the tree blends in and is much less noticeable. My amateur video skills tried to capture that here:

And my writer's mind gets to thinking about perspective, perception, good sides and bad sides. Life is about how we see it. How we see it starts with our eyes, but also the heart, soul, and mind behind the eyes. Other people and ourselves get the same treatment. 

What and/or who am I looking at, and what is all creating my perspective and perception in this moment? 

That will shape the experience for me. Living gratefully provides a more gentle lens with which to take it all in. Living gratefully fosters more compassion for self and others. 

The reality is that we all have our better sides and our less-than-favorable sides. Healthier perspective dwells on the former more than the latter. It takes me back to my words on this blog's header:

"Building a better perception of self and surrounding world through regular practice of gratitude."

When gratefulness is a presence in my life it makes all the difference in how I see myself, you, the day ahead. Practice makes progress possible. Onward!