Perspectives, Perceptions, and Light
I have plenty of sunset and sunrise pictures. Do some of them look similar? Sure. Are any of them the same? No. This was the sunset for December 1, 2021 in my part of the world, specifically captured at 4:25 p.m. CST. I never tire of witnessing sunrises and sunsets. How could I? Why would I? It means I was given another day. Not everyone gets that.
The lighting in the top photo caught my eye first, as I ran on a local trail with my back to the setting sun. The trees are bare, barren, and muted in color. With a closer look, it is clear that several have broken limbs. Broken. My local community made national news this week, exposing hate and intolerance. Another school shooting has left four students dead in Michigan. The omicron variant of COVID is raising major concerns.
The darkness seems so heavy at times. And yet there is light. Light. The light of hope and healing. After pausing on my run to take the top photo, I turned and captured the second photo, the sun setting across the fields on the edge of my community. An amazing source of light and so much more energy, making all life possible on our planet.
Taken for granted, we treat our planet and each other with less kindness, respect, and civility.
Arriving home, I started seeing the glow of porch lights, ours included, across our neighborhood. Porch lights with a purpose last night. Hundreds and hundreds of porches in numerous communities spreading the light of what matters most: family, decency, acceptance, tolerance, connections that foster everyone's potential.
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Good Morning Lisa! Thank you for the energy you devote to your blog. I've been reading it for several years, having been led to it by a quotation from your blog that was featured in the Gratefulness dot org morning mailing. I was especially moved by this post, and followed the link you provided to read more about what's going on in your community. Shortly after reading your post, I read an article in Tricycle magazine that seemed to echo your thoughts. I thought you might like to read it. Here's a link. I think you should be able to access it, but if you can't let me know, and I'll get it to you some other way. Namaste, Sue
ReplyDeletehttps://tricycle.org/trikedaily/norman-fischer-relationships/?utm_source=Tricycle&utm_campaign=577656cd65-Daily_Dharma_12_02_2021_Subs&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1641abe55e-577656cd65-307372013
Nice to hear from you Sue! Thanks for being a reader here over the years. A Network for Grateful Living (gratefulness.org) has many wonderful resources and practices. I appreciated the article you included as well. I especially liked the lines: "We don't need to produce compassion. We already are compassion." Beautiful. Peace, Lisa
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