24/09/2023
Landscape Lessons
Stars decorate the night sky and compel us to gaze intently upon the tapestry their luminescence creates. They carry hope and dreams through the dark spaces and into the reality of the next day.
Mountains lie beneath the ever-shifting stars. At first glance, they appear rugged and immovable, stalwart champions of patient strength. Mountains have a secret though. They allow time and circumstances to whittle away their excesses. As they are broken down into tiny pieces, their inner beauty is revealed. What they once held firmly too, is released into the valleys, building areas where living things may thrive.
On the ledges, lower hillsides, and right down to the valley floor, trees and other plant life take up residence. Generations of their kind have continued to break down the particles of mountains. Untold life cycles of Fir Trees, Sagebrush and wildflowers have fallen to the soil and mixed with it their nutrient-rich organic matter. This enhanced soil is the fuel that keeps this place alive.
Each of the participants of this moment in time, are stunningly beautiful of their own accord. I could stare at the stars all night long. I marvel at the jagged peaks and let my mind wander through the deep valleys and lofty crags. I let my soul breathe deeply of the Sage-scented meadows lined with stately Fir Trees. I stop to absorb the stunning beauty of a single flower and smile at the tiny speck of beauty that could pull my gaze down to its level.
The thing about a scene like this is that each component works together to create a community. Each member contributes by giving a piece of themselves that allows other members to thrive. Mountain ecology is not always pleasant or comfortable, but unspeakable beauty is created when you enter into a place where each member has a purpose and is permitted to carry it out. Community is important, whether you are a tree, or a human being.
So, go be a star in someone’s night sky. Help carry their hope when they cannot. Be a mountain they can lean on and don’t be too proud to lean on someone else’s mountain. Be a tree providing shelter for other beings. Be a flower, creating a moment of beauty in another person’s day. Be someone who notices flowers and make sure that little speck of beauty knows you see it. Develop and sustain community wherever you find yourself.