Call me when you get this...
There is a mystery to finding truth and the enlightenment that often accompanies it. It is a magical paradox that continually fills my soul with wonder at the secret workings of the world around me. Here is a great truth about truth; you may search for it with all of your might and struggle through all manner of devices to learn the secrets to wisdom and never find a single grain of truth. The miracle that continually amazes me is that when you are ready for the truth it comes to you so easily.
Truth is never absolute or concrete. It is not perfect. Truth is a living entity and like all living things it is fluid and continually changing. Only when the inflexible structures of my intellect crumble and fall at my feet like piles of leftover parade confetti does the truth serenely enter the humbled home of my mind to sit and visit with me. Truth comes only when it is ready and never when it is forced.
Yesterday morning I began the day with a goal in mind. I knew what I wanted from the afternoon and I set out to accomplish a plan; I was going to capture a picture of the first spring flower. I thought I knew the perfect place to go to fulfill my hearts desire, Glen Helen Nature Reserve. Little did I know that what I wanted to do was not what I truly needed to do. Truth had other things in store for me.
I never did find a flower to photograph yesterday, as it turned out the woods had other secrets to share with me during our time together. The peace and serenity that continues to fill my heart to this very moment has more than compensated me for the goal I did not accomplish at the Nature reserve. (Sometimes the truth you discover is better than the truth you set out to find.)
This afternoon I decided to take a thirty minute walk. It is something I try to make a habit of doing because I am a diabetic and the exercise is good for my circulation and heart. The day was partly cloudy and fairly breezy, but the temperature was in the middle sixties and quite comfortable. My mind was at peace and I didn’t have a care in the world. It was being a pleasant stroll and as I turned the corner at the halfway point of my normal route the truth jumped out from the most unexpected place as if to say, “I’m not quite done with you yet.”
So surprised was I at what I saw, I finished my walk home, gathered up my camera and returned to take a photograph of the truth in action. In the very last place I’d have thought to look for it was a flower. Nestled against the base of a tree in the front lawn of a dilapidated old house was a cluster of small purple flowers.
Sometimes the irony of truth is a funny thing. Yesterday I had so purposely traveled a long distance only to not find what I was searching for. Today, I had only to step out of my front door to find the very thing I was no longer looking for. How often does this happen in our lives? We travel great distances to search for things we never bother to look and see if they are already available in our immediate surroundings. How often do we ignore the truth at hand believing it can only be found somewhere else?
The flower of truth; in my own backyard.
Now for a sad truth...
It is three fifteen in the morning and just several blocks down the street from my home someone is engaged with the
The truth is that life is indeed bittersweet at best. Yes it is beautiful, but at times it can also be so very ugly.
DirkStar, Thursday, March 15, 2007
26 Comments:
"Truth is a pretty, purple flower."
Check.
Wow! Enlightening post! Your Crocus are beautiful!
I was stuck in the middle of a standoff yesterday, myself. Must be all the Spring weather bringing out the non compliant.
Thank goodness that there is beauty in the world, else we'd all be lost in such a sea of pain. I've yet to see flowers around my house, since we just moved here in the fall. I'm awaiting anxiously the spring to see what our new yard has in store for me. Your son is one lucky boy, to have a father like you.
Well the flowers are beautiful.
But, there are two sides to the truth. It's not always pretty.
Hope no innocent people were hurt in the gunfight.
Glad you are back. Your poor wife. For me pregnancy was a pain, but until labor it rarely was pain, if you know what I mean. Tell her the end is worth it and then the amnesia hits and you are ready to go through it all over again.
Love the crocuses. None here yet.
Gunfire in my neighborhood would sure creep me out.
Great to hear from you Dirk! I am so sorry that Felicia is having such a difficult time but, I am reassured and thankful that she is in your loving and capable hands. In seven weeks time the travails and heavy burden will be behind you and soon forgotten once you hold your son in your arms for the first time and look into his wonderful face. From that moment on the difficult journey will have been truly worthwhile. Of that I am absolutely certain.
I have thoroughly enjoyed viewing your photographs and felt I was on the adventure in the park with you. I get the exact same peace of mind and feeling of tranquillity from my faith in God and as Easter is now rapidly approaching I will be quietly observing the sacrifice made for us by His son followed by the joy of His risen life. As Spring bursts into new life once again we can all take pleasure at the joy a family will experience upon the arrival of a new life in their midst. I am so pleased for you and Felicia and will be praying for a safe delivery and speedy recovery.
I trust the night time drama in your near neighbourhood was resolved peaceably. Such an experience would be frightful at any time but with your beloved wife in the late stages of her pregnancy it must have been terrifying for both of you.
As the countdown really begins in earnest you and Felicia will be at the top of my prayer list and I am sure everything is going to be just fine. Relax and keep focussed on your plans for the future for all three of you. Finally, when are you going to share your eagerly awaited son's name/s with us!!!????
Well, the flowers always grow brighter over the septic tank...or something...I wasn't a philosophy major, but maybe I should have been.
wow, what a great thought provoking post...many warm wishes to Felicia!
It's always in the last place you look isn't it. ;-)
Beautiful pic!
And again with the flowers. You're like the 4th person in 4 days to post pictures of lovely spring flowers. And we've got -20 and -30 deg. F. temps. *sigh*
Thanks for the dose of wisdom this morning!
I really do agree. I often think I have a glimpse of "the truth" only to find out that I have no idea. There is faith and there is objective reality. One is always correct.
Both the good and bad of life right at your doorstep. Exciting. And scary.
That is the thing about truth it is never what we expect and if we expect that then that will be wrong also. The truth is very elusive. When you do get it the journey has taught you something worth the journey you took. My view, see you when I see you peace.
Beautiful photographs you have posted! It is sad that there has to be so much pain around the beauty of it all.
Yeah, spring is just about here.
I may not always post a comment, but don't worry...I always read.
Gunfire just down the street sure would frigthen the shit out of me.
Why do you want to go far away if the good things are so close? (old saying over here)
I love this, "The miracle that continually amazes me is that when you are ready for the truth it comes to you so easily." It is so true.
Gram used to say, "The bad exists to make the good seem all the better."
No matter how beautiful they are, the truth of flowers can not - would not - out-shout the truth of gunfire.
But the crocuses are beautiful; more so because of where they were found. Someone, probably years ago, took the time and care to plant them, and year after year, as the nearby house continues to decline, they raise their heads in the optimistic announcement that Spring is here.
As a photographer, I smiled in agreement. Many times have I searched for a particular photo, only to find one I hadn't expected or thought of. The important thing is to keep one's eyes open.
Nice to have you back, Dirk.
Beauty is all around is, we just need to take the time to see it. It's sad that most of us don't, I include myself in that.
I hope you have a wonderful holiday!
Beautiful post. Thank you...empathy for your wife. Grandparenting is much easier!
that's why you should have listend to the scary old dude when he spat?
"You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!"
Great walk! I'm sad to hear about what was going on down the street...humans are weird creatures.
I just want to say how good it is to see all of my friends again.
I love the blog world and all of you who make it such a great place to meet the best people on the Internet.
GO OHIO STATE!
Many of the things that I have been absolutely, positively, 100% certainly sure of ... have been wrong, It's the little un-asked for bits of knowledge and life and love that ring out most clearly as true. Mahalo for sharing.
No gunfire here lately, but drug deals ongoing in the neighborhood, and a recent house-to-house search for a hiding bad guy. Siiiigh! We change what we can and live with the rest.
Keep safe and keep sharing the beauty. Counting down the days with you & Felicia!
Thanks for making a comment on my blog. I love to see new people drop by.
Reading this post made me wonder if you might live in the same neighborhood that I do! I always see beauty in between the crack and meth houses and people going nuts on my street. I have seen many things that have been pretty downright scary, but I learned to deal with it. It makes me realize how shut down and numb so many people are...yet in so much pain.. to do such things to their bodies and others with these horrific drugs..including their own children living in their meth houses. Yet I still see beauty but keep a watchful eye out in order to protect myself. I've read a lot that you become the environment you are surrounded by as time goes on. It's been a few years and I pray with everything in me I will not..."shut down"...and eventually get out of here somehow..
I'm going to look for a flower tomorrow and then I will probably find something else of "beauty" unexpectedly like you did..it's always where you wouldn't think it would be isn't it?
Thank you for sharing your experience. Your writing is very lovely indeed.
Hope your wife knows what a lucky woman she is..:)
Blessings,
Rhiannon
I'm stuck in white suburban hell. They sure got some pretty houses. No gun battles around here, just "perfectly-programed" plastic people.
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