There is something so beautiful in the golden light of an Autumn sunrise that it takes my breath away. Even later on in the day as the sun rises higher in the sky, the contact of light on the red, orange and gold leaves against a crystal blue sky is so brilliant that it almost hurts. Finally, as the sun sets in that ball of fire as only it can at this time of year, the world explodes with so much color that it reaches in and burnishes itself on our souls. No other season touches us as deeply as this one does, and I thank the powers that be every day for the eyes to experience this precious gift.
As I have gotten older I have found myself taking more time to stop and contemplate moments like these. All the things I spent my life chasing after or trying to get done are no longer the priorities in my life. One of the gifts of getting older is the chance to savor the moments and experiences that take our breath away and to allow ourselves the time and the mindset (and the spirit-set) to soak them in and make them our own. These are the gifts of our wisdom years.
There is even beauty to be found in the garden at this time of year. Most people would only see the spent, brown plants, all of the veggies harvested and the skeleton of the garden laying down awaiting the first snow. When I look at the garden in this light, I get a warm feeling of a job well done, of the blessings of nourishment that the earth provides for us, and the wonder of it all from seed to my plate.
This morning during our church service, as the minister was presenting her message, a flock of birds numbering in the hundreds chose that moment to swoop down on the lawn and proceeded to entertain us through the windows with an aerial ballet that had us all in a state of wonder and appreciation. It was as if they had decided to be the backdrop to her message which was about creating the life we want by paying attention to our thoughts and choosing those thoughts that would bring us happiness and peace. What better thoughts could we have then to choose thoughts of wonder, beauty, appreciation and gratitude for those "take our breath away" moments. Imagine what kind of a life we can create with thoughts like those.
What are the things that take your breath away? When was the last time you allowed yourself the time to experience them? What are you waiting for?
And so it is.
