THE PALETTE OF THE SKY

In the summer of 2015 my husband Brian and I took a month long trip road trip from Santa Fe to San Francisco. It was perhaps the most amazing trip we have ever taken. We have had several amazing trips to Italy, Spain, Greece and the biggest of our dreams of all, a safari in Kenya and Tanzania in 2014 with our son Bryn. This summer, 2016, Brian and I will return to Kenya and Tanzania for another safari to be closer to the land and animals in smaller camps than the first time.

Something indefinable was in these amazing places in The U.S. southwest. Everywhere we looked were incredible, infinitely changing and gorgeous rock formations, awe-inspiring skies. 1000's of miles of changing rock - it blew us away. There were few people on the road, we often went hours without seeing another car, the land so immense. Just us, insignificant amongst the massive formations and and the even more massive sky. There were a few moments I was even scared to be so isolated and yet something in us relaxed and renewed in new ways in these vast open spaces . Something of the spirit of the Universe, of spirit, seemed closer than it had ever been. It infused us, released us from the stresses of the city of Vancouver where we live, from our jobs and lives. We spend time in European cities and love the art, the culture, the history - what is not to love?! But we learned something new about ourselves this trip. We need nature to come close to our deepest selves, to heal our bodies and souls.

(Please keep reading. the text continues between photos. I'll let you know when it is finished)

I have long been a lover of the sky. We saw skies on this trip! Big open, vast skies full of soft cotton balls, big angry skies flinging lightening and heavy rain, clouds crashing thunder, sunsets to take your breathe away. I could not put my camera down in the car, everywhere. At Bryce Canyon we went each evening to watch the sunset over those mystical, ancient red rocks. Tears come to my ear remembering. These are 19 photos out of hundreds from this trip.

What is it about the sky that so moves me? I have zillions of pictures on my phone taken as we travel around the city. I am always in awe and looking, looking at the sky no matter where I am. I have thought I would like to be the chronicler of the ever changing sky, Nature's canvas, such a deep palette, never the same. I have painted some of these photos. Another day I'll post some of those, too.

When I look at the sky I am reminded we are spinning on a planet in a vast Universe, an infinte Universe. We are so miraculous and yet so tiny against thebackdrop of the infinite Universe and its billions upon billions of stars and barely knowable processes. Looking into the night sky brings this to me even more strongly, seeing the twinkling stars, the planets, the infinite darkness. I so often forget we are on a planet. When I remember I feel something so deep, something unnameable. Part of that feeling is gratitude, the rest is indescribable for me. I know I cannot take this life for granted when I see what a miracle this earth is, what a miracle it is to be alive, to be a human being with a life and so much possibility.

Sunsets are mystical and magical taking me deep into myself, to my deepest presence. The awe of such beauty, such color, texture, constantly changing, ever more beautiful until it fades into darkness and stars. If there is a god, call it whatever you like - (and I know there is) call it the Universe, the Great Spirit, Buddha, God, Shiva, Ganesh, Mohammed - the sky takes me to a feeling of experiencing that being that is both larger than me and a part of me. In that state of bliss, of presence, I feel removed from all the thoughts and feelings of the day, of my life.

I don't seem able to stay with that feeling very long, minutes perhaps - I want to stay longer, to not let the hectic busyness of my mind call me away. It is a kind of mediation I want to learn, to practice. Removed from the worries, troubles and problems of my own life and the the world I wonder why can't we take care of our world, how can we allow such inequity? How can so much that is wrong and hurtful be going on? How can we forget the beauty of ourselves and of this planet we live on, this universe we inhabit? How can we cause such damage, ignore such destruction? How can we let Governments and multi-national corporations run such incredible devastation across our planet? We need so much more than an economy, that every growing and never satisfied bloated baby of governments and multi--national corporations

I truly believe that if more of us, eventually all of us - Is it possible? - spent more time in the presence of the sky, in the presence of nature we would be more peaceful, more accepting, more tolerant. We would feel our own amazing presence. We would be satisfied with a simpler life, fuller of our authentic selves and spirits and not so grasping at outward things to feed our alienated selves. We would be more connected. We are walking, asleep to the beauty of ourselves, our earth, this life. We would wake up

In Nature, looking into the sky, that inner love is so much easier to find. Can the very thing we degrade with abandon, our earth, also teach us what we need to survive and care for each other across this earth? We have to believe in the possibility to even try. We have to face the difficulties and change direction, to value ourselves and each other in new and stronger ways. We have to say no, no, no to the current capitalist system that takes the greatest amount for few and leaves the many in want, and that wantonly degrades the planet without conscience. Yes, there are problems and difficulties, but let us come from love, from spirit, and the way will be much clearer, much more generative for all of us, for our earth.

People say it is too complicated, global warming, degradation of the earth, the economy, war, politics, despotism, human pain and suffering, deprivation, greed. I have said this, too - it is too complicated, how can we fix it? In the face of that incredible presence in ourselves, in each other, in the presence of presence itself, I think we can make it simpler. It stars with love, self-love and spins outward from there. We can find solutions, they must include all of us on this earth having enough, they must take care of Mother Earth. My job is to call for us to come from love and presence. There are great minds out there, skilled people who can help figure it out - together we can each bring our gifts and make this work. We don't have much time. We must remember we are all one, with each other, with every living thing, with this earth, this universe.

Let these photos show you your own beauty. From there let's mobilize to take care of our planet and ourselves. We are worth saving.

Enjoy the rest of the photos below