The snow is melting into music. —John Muir
Celebrate the first of each season.
I find myself reflecting on seasons, the natural cycle of the earths rotation — it is a constant that binds us to the earth this time of year, and it will continue long after we are gone.
Holding nature's hand.
As long as I can remember I've used quotations to reflect upon the world around me. They are tiny poems and summaries of philosophy. In the text below I share some quotations that resonate with me currently. I've been trying for days to summarize what they say about my current state of mind, in the end I think they are the summary.
“Sitting quietly, doing nothing, Spring comes, and the grass grows, by itself.” ― Basho
“Of course I’ll hurt you. Of course you’ll hurt me. Of course we will hurt each other. But this is the very condition of existence. To become spring, means accepting the risk of winter. To become presence, means accepting the risk of absence.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Manon, Ballerina
“Fuckin' A... hope didn't so much spring eternal as it drowned out common sense and self-preservation.” ― J.R. Ward, Lover Mine
“I am learning to live close to the lives of my friends without ever seeing them. No miles of any measurement can separate your soul from mine.” ― John Muir
I think my biggest concern is that this collection would be perceived to have a tone of negativity, but I identify them more with neutrality. The more neutral I can be, the more clarity I have and this offers me comfort and control when everything around us seems out-of-control.
I really do want peace and kindness toward one another to prevail in challenging times, but I find myself having a very low tolerance for others reacting from a place of fear. We will endure pain and loss. This is the natural cycle of our existence. We are stories with a beginning, middle, and end.
With the vitality of spring — we find awe in it's beauty and an encouraging energy to share our human experience together. Best wishes everyone for finding your own mental place of comfort during challenging times.
And one last quote that inspires my intention through art:
“I care to live only to entice people to look at Nature’s loveliness.” ― John Muir
