Like most cliches, this one became a cliche because it's true. Being surrounded by so much beauty here these days I'm struck by the fact that it is free. Even if I were the richest person on the planet the flowers would not be more beautiful than they are now. I couldn't appreciate them more if I were dripping in monetary wealth.
It would not be more delicious to roll down a hill if we were rich than it is now.
Or the thrill of improving a cartwheel.
Trying to outrun a train,
dig a hole to China,
or have a little conversation with a sister.
All this talk of recession and lack, flues from pigs... - and yet the natural world is as abundant as ever.
Abundant in color, texture, fragrance and sheer volume.
The trees are not cutting back on their blossoms in preparation for what's to come, the branches are not leaving some limbs without leaves to stock up.
The flowers are not holding back their fragrance anticipating the worst.
Swans are not building smaller nests just in case.
The natural world is as abundant and innovative as ever.
These flowers are not deciding to bloom at half their size. These will not only bloom next year the bulbs will multiply.
Spiders are still spinning as diligently as ever.
Right now the air here is full of life and potential. Wherever we go blossoms are flying through the air. Trees are dropping their seeds and dandelions are blowing in the wind. When I stop and think about how each one of these little seeds could turn into a plant, flower or even a mighty old tree one day - it is staggering to think of the potential floating around here.
The natural world is so wildly skewed towards abundance. One tree puts off enough seeds in one season to create and entire forest. But think about the life span of that tree and how many seeds it puts out.
Think of a papaya or tomato and how many seeds are inside just one fruit. It's absurd that anyone goes hungry in this world when the world itself is skewed towards wild abundance- no where near 'survival' or even replenishment. The seeds from a single tomato could easily provide enough tomatoes for an entire family the following season. The seeds from one tomato plant over the course of one season could provide enough for an entire community the following season.
Maybe if we all run out of things that are distractions to us we will once again be able to pay a bit more attention to the natural world around us and enjoy it in all its glory. We will again be focused on the things that are priceless. Friendship, beauty, connection.
When there is so much overwhelming evidence all around us that all is well, why oh why is it so easy for us to focus on that which is not. Perhaps if we just shift our attention on what is not only 'working' but really excelling and thriving on this planet we could watch and learn a thing or two.
And thank you April for fw this very interesting article from Newsweek on Nature and its effects on our psychological well-being.
