Category: Nature

Diamonds in the Web

Diamonds in the Web

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Rain continued through the night and I awoke to the wonderful sound of droplets falling from leaves. Fog wrapped the forest and just as my usual walk time approached, the downpour stopped. I excitedly put on my shoes and headed out the door.

At each of our entrances, spiders have constructed huge webs. At every door except our front door they build without concern over how unpleasant a mouth full of spider silk can be when you are barely awake. Our front entrance spider is considerate. She builds her web over half the steps and leaves one side open for us. I still look though because there’s nothing quite so shocking as a fat spider sitting on your nose.

This morning there was no need to look as rain droplets still clung to the web creating beautiful diamonds that sparkled in the morning light. I sprinted back inside for my macro lens and camera and enjoyed a few minutes of attempting to capture this most excellent art.

Years ago I wrote a little song called Diamonds in the Web. A few of the words are: “We are diamonds in the web, watch us shine.” This morning’s diamond-draped silk reminded me that each of us that works to bring truth and light to the planet are little points of light. We might get discouraged at negativity directed toward us or at the darkness that seems to arise in the news daily. If we remember that we’re not working alone, that there are others giving a 100% effort to being beacons of light, we become stronger–like the weavings of the spider. May we remember our place in the web of life and allow our inner light to glow and grow.

Restoration

Restoration

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The cool dawn called to me this morning. In the gray light, before the sun peeked over the mountains, I gathered my gear and headed up the parkway. Pink-bottomed clouds greeted me as I arrived at the entrance and headed north.

By the time I got to a good sunrise overlook, the pink had disappeared. The blue sky and golden light greeted me with such splendor that I did not feel cheated by the rosy hue’s disappearance.

There is something immensely pleasing about driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway before engaging in my daily routine. My senses are awakened by nature, not email or Facebook, oil spill updates or even coffee. During these times of solitude with the mountains, clouds, wild turkeys and fresh air, I am restored.

Today was the first time I’ve photographed places in nature that weren’t coated in oil since I begin covering the disaster in May. To say that I needed the experience is like saying I needed to breathe this morning. As I watched the sun rise over the ridge line and felt the 58 degree wind whip around me at the top of Mt. Mitchell, a part of me came back, a part that had no choice but to disappear with the horror of what I’ve witnessed over the summer.

Gratitude sparked through me as I recognized the connection between nature from the highest peak east of the Mississippi River to the Gulf Coast. The pristine beauty I experienced this morning connected me back to my coastal birthplace and somewhere within, I knew that eventually, after arguments and payouts and lies and dark times, the Gulf would be restored. In the end, nature will be restored.