Steeped in Joy on An Ice Coated Morning

This post was originally published on January 5, 2015 on River-Bliss.com.
 

Last night, freezing rain drizzled all night. This morning, there was such beauty outdoors, in spite of the unrelenting grayness!

I walked around outside in awe of the ice covering the tree branches and everything else. All was quiet except for the gentle, soothing sound of melting ice dripping on the crusty snow, punctuated by the occasional cracking of ice in the trees. Then I stood still and heard church bells ringing faintly in the distance from the church on the hill. The tune was Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, which was so familiar and made me think of my mom. It was as if her voice was calling to me in the stillness of this beautiful moment as a resident woodpecker climbed the pole of the basketball hoop, and a bright red cardinal darted by. It was a moment of transcendence and peace.

All around the yard, even the most delicate blades and pine needles were coated individually with ice. (Doesn't the ice formation in the picture below look like underwater coral - or baby ginger?)

Some of the ice formations were so delicate and lacy, and if I hadn't been there at that moment, I'd have missed them altogether because earlier they would have been too hard and frosty, and soon after, they would have melted. You have to catch them at just the right moment.

After 18 days off, I have to return to work tomorrow, and the wish popped into my mind for freedom to do this all the time without having to work around a schedule that steals my free time during all the daylight hours at this time of year. I know I'm missing out on so much splendor when I have to be at work all day and am not free to observe and notice the transient wonders and magnificence of nature. But that wishful thinking takes me out of the moment.

When you're immersed in the fullness and beauty of the moment, you're in a state of blissful interconnectedness - flow. Then you think, "But I want more! I want to be able to do this all the time!" And that is where the trouble begins. Why not be content to do it now? And then go live your life. As a result of doing it now, you will bring more vitality to whatever it is that requires your attention. Taking the time to immerse yourself in what you love, in whatever dose you can manage, enriches your entire existence. You don't have to be able to do it all the time. You just need to bring the vibrance and joy with you into your life. Doing so makes you feel more alive and engaged, and your enthusiasm may create a ripple that inspires and awakens others. It begins by steeping yourself in what fills you with wonder, awe, and/or joy.

Dive in, savor it, and make it part of you.

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© Susan Meyer and River Bliss Photography, 2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material, including all text and photos, without express and written permission from this website’s author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Susan Meyer and River Bliss Photography (river-bliss.com) with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.