Honeybee and Malva, balm for the soul.
Last week in my Colorado hometown we got a generous serving of what others throughout our country (and the world) suffer more regularly–a natural disaster. You see, we’re spoiled here. We’re usually blissfully immune from tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other trouble. Last week, thanks to years of global-warming drought, we got it good.
True terror and shattered nerves–for a straight week! Mountains afire. Hundreds of homes destroyed. A presidential visit to a scene of epic destruction. Only yesterday did we allow ourselves to start to breathe a little easier (yes, that’s a bad joke about the smoke and ash). The fire is now 55% contained and let me tell you, we’re seeing our cup as more than half full.
I could put a scary picture here, to illustrate what we’ve been through, but I am burnt out (bad pun intended) on a thousand images of destruction.
Thank goodness there is always beauty and grace somewhere amid the mayhem; as Rhonda Van Pelt shows us so elegantly in the photo above.
She shares her experience below.
–Sandra Knauf
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Crazy times!
We’ve learned all too well that Nature can be a destructive force, unleashing its random malevolence on us puny humans with little warning.
But, of course, Nature can be healing, a cool balm on our scorched souls and battered hearts.
On Saturday [June 30], after nearly a week of stress and smoky air, I took my camera to Monument Valley Park. I was craving coolness, calm, and lush growth in this time of heat, confusion, and decimated landscapes. I found it in the singing birds, the buzzing bees, and the blooming flowers, and wonder why I haven’t been doing this every day during our trial by fire.
Life goes on and beauty remains in this world.
–Rhonda Van Pelt
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