Nature

A few minutes ago, NBC Nightly News showed the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC, near the tidal pool (or basin). The blossoms were beautiful. A few weeks ago, I got to work (our new office is surrounded by trees) and all the Bradford pear trees were in full bloom. Beautiful! Even after the blossoms began to blow off the trees in our Oklahoma wind, the parking lot was awash with white petals and that was a pleasant experience, too.

Just this morning, after sunrise, but still early, I was out and about and the most beautiful cloud formations were gathered in the eastern sky with sunbeams shining through here and there. And I have seen countless sunrises and sunsets which are breathtaking in their beauty--the formations of clouds, the colors varying from deep purple through peach and apricot and pink to bright orange. I have watched the sky, when there were no clouds, changing from black to green to blue as the sun neared its rising.

All these things make me think of our Heavenly Father. I greatly appreciate the blessing He gave us of a beautiful world to live in. It lifts the spirit and enlivens the mind. It brings a smile, and sometimes joyful laughter. Other times, it brings a quiet peaceful feeling.

There are so many things to enjoy. Even in photographs and paintings, one sees the beauty in nature. Seeing the beauty in person, however, seems to go deeper into one's soul.

I grew up in the country. We saw deer in the yard, cottontail rabbits and jackrabbits, ducks, geese, bluebirds, bluejays, and cardinals. There were wild turkeys and quail. Fish in ponds and streams and lakes. Grass and flowers and trees add beauty, too. Then there are rock formations and patches of sand blown into lovely designs by the wind. At night, there was a sky full of stars and planets and the moon. There were thunderstorms putting on a light show. There were mornings of waking to frost or even ice covering everything and sparkling like diamonds when the sun rose. In summers bees and butterflies and dragonflies and lightning bugs added their touches of color and light to the scenery.

I live in the city now. I still find nature around, though not as fully. The redbuds bloom in the spring as well as the Bradford pear trees. There are flowers of all kinds and birds, too. Until recently, we had geese in the field just north of our office. It's not uncommon to see ducks and geese walking along the streets as I pass near a small lake on the way to church. Redbreasted robins have been flying about, gathering nesting material. The year-round pigeons are often of lovely colors, some with irridesent greens and purples to complement their delicate gray and white feathers.

We can see nature in our pets--our cats and dogs and guinea pigs and hamsters. Beautiful fish glowing in aquariums. We can go to the zoo and enjoy more exotic animals. One of my favorite memories is petting a giraffe. The baby animals are so cute and lively.

I find that even the memories of natural things I have seen can lift my spirits. I remember the snowcapped mountains in Arizona and the rock formations in New Mexico. I think of a boat ride on Lake Michigan. I remember family fishing trips to rivers and lakes and the enjoyment of those times.

I am so grateful to a Heavenly Father who cared to give us beauty and joy and fun in this world.