When I look deeper into the folds and creases of these blooms in a hydrangea, I see the transition of form, the delicate meanderings of the petals, the tempering of the hues. I see how the head of an hydrangea bloom is actually made up of many blooms within a bloom. These complexities of petals form to create a beautiful and elegant flower that is cherished by many.
Many times we do not pause to look, to see how something or someone is formed. What are the detailed intricacies of who they are or what made them who they are? Look at the deep textures in the bark of an old tree. Is it coarse or smooth? How deep are the cracks and fissures? Without stopping to see or feel or savor, we miss the subtle beauty of what is around us.
I, like many of us, am guilty of this behavior. Life seems to sprint down the fast lane, and I am obligated to follow. Deadlines and pressures propel me forward, and I choose to focus on necessary tasks rather than stop to regard, to contemplate. It is an area where I am constantly searching for balance.
However, when I have a moment or some space of time, I wander outside and inspect the meanderings of a garden path or the slight vein line of a leaf. I take a deep breath and inhale the aromas lilting through the air--scents of lavender, the bitter odor of crushed leaves. And I catch the puff of a breeze across my face and relish how it feels on my skin, soft and caressing. I feel alive, connected, and peaceful. Taking the time to open up my senses to the depth and wonder around me nourishes my soul, and I am replenished and filled with gratitude to greet the day and the days forward.
© 2011 Michelle A. Potter
