11/11/2025
As I was driving today, I took in the beauty of the colorful fallen leaves and those still on the trees. I was so struck by their magnificence, the miracle that is this planet on which we live, and how grateful and peaceful I felt at that moment. I felt as though I might cry. I quickly buttoned up my emotions and didn't allow them to swell any further in my chest.
Noticing this reflexive reaction to shut things down emotionally, I thought about how so many times before I had not allowed myself to take in the beauty in the world around me, had prevented myself from fully experiencing and expressing the joy or pain that I felt, and how on some level this might be a form of self-preservation or protection.
I think we sometimes (consciously or not) stop short because we fear we couldn’t stand it if we truly allowed ourselves to acknowledge just how precious all of this is and fully take it all in. The idea of feeling all of those feelings seems like it might be too much to bear. It might shine a light on how small, helpless, and insignificant we feel or are in the grand scheme of things. It might stir the anger, pain, and upset we constantly keep at bay or stuff down because we feel as though there's nothing that we as one person could ever do to make things right, bring harmony to the world, save or salvage what's left of this amazing place we call home. Our minds may drift to those less fortunate than us and how desperate they must feel. We might start to imagine their cries for help, food, or longing to end their pain.
When we allow it, our mind can begin to drift farther and farther away from what started as one beautiful moment into the deep dark depths of what this world has become and where it seems to be headed. Instead of letting my mind run away with my joy, I am making a conscious effort each day to allow myself to linger in the glimmer of hope, beauty, and love that exists in a given moment. Perhaps if we all spent more time in this heart and mind space, we would be more inclined to come together, work together, and make meaningful changes toward a better way for all forms of life on this planet of ours…together.
