Last night, after a day of isolation, I decided that I needed a little nature to fill the soul.
Thankfully, it isn’t a commodity that people can hoard, so I was pleased to find it aplenty just waiting for anyone needing nourishment.
I took off to the east side of Lake Parker and reached my “spot” just as the sun seemed to hit that sweet 5 or 6 degrees above-the-horizon mark. With the right temperature and cloud formation, that’s when the disappearing sun casts its golden light across the skies.
And it didn’t disappoint!
I hurried quickly along the bank to the end of the fishing pier, arm in arm with one of my very best friends. And we watched the sun go down together.
He even posed for a couple of shots for me, so you might know him from some of the pictures below.
I hope you like this little selection.
The drive home was obviously the return of someone who had just been to the soul-food bank and was now fully stocked again to face the trials of coming days.
I am so very fortunate to be living in Florida and close to an abundance of nature. Whatever my craving is, Mother Nature obliges. Whether it be creatures, scenery, or sun and skies, I have never known her shelves to be empty. She never has to wait for a delivery or ask patrons to wait in line for a one-per-customer limit.
No, she greets our every day with a warm embrace, brightens our spirits with magical skies, and fills our souls with each sunset.
My camera is effectively the door to the my inner pantry that is filled with the most amazing memories that I could possibly taste.
But you don’t need a camera … you just need an open heart and the willingness to let her feed you.
Like many people across the world, I have put down some pretty shitty days this week. But it is pointless to dwell. Negative thoughts breed negative energy.
And when we witness hysterical behavior around us, that negativity is reinforced. We feel justified in our negativity.
But just beyond the wave of hysteria is an ocean of happiness. There are so many happy moments just waiting to be experienced that can help bring a balance into our lives.
Nature is such a moment-provider for me. And I can still experience it while reducing my social contact and not endangering anyone.
But whatever it is that makes you happy, engage with it. Hopefully there are things that you can do that doesn’t involve large crowds and socializing. And frankly, if those are the only types of things that make you happy, then you need to work more on finding better sources of inner happiness.
We don’t need a constitution to tell us we have a right to pursue happiness. Our happiness isn’t gifted to us by another party. It comes from within.
So, look into your soul, because this much is true; happiness is where you find it.
