a day in the life of

the river and fishermen
cloud formations and horses
are they enough for a day’s enchantment?

note: from my daily walk

empty train

When you go for a walk
don’t go empty handed:
carry a camera, a notebook and a pen
or even a cane, a column of wind may come
and agitate the trees,an angel may
descend and whisper to you,
or an angry beast may engage your path
the experience can be overwhelming
but short lived with helplessness
and apprehension,regrets
returns late like a train, old
and rusted, bereft among the ruins.

For want of a heart

Note:On the wall in the hospital ward.

 

what are your distractions

The easy part is the walking
with doves giving their silent
blessings, and you succumb

to distractions without complaints
islands of red and green bushes,

California poppies, yellow and orange
daisies dancing with the breeze.
You reach the river

greet a sitting fisherman watching
his line, from the corner of your eye
sees a white heron that suddenly flies
skimming the water, quickly you reach
for your cell phone to capture its flight.
Returning home a palm tree

 

fans the sidewalk, your shadow
playing with its leaves.

a new experience

“The world fears a new experience more than it fears anything. Because a new experience displaces so many old experiences… The world doesn’t fear a new idea. Itcan pigeon-hole any idea.But it can’t pigeon-hole a real new experience.”
-D.H.Lawrence

on the table,array of food
can hunger be
a new experience?

a tiny climb
to reach a bridge
pushing a bicycle

 

a child
crosses a river
a bridge covered with shadows

my Friday colors

note: our tiny backyard’s prolific flower

the difference

walking
distinguishes not desire from need
exercise in humility

a break
in self-importance
looking for true self

sharing a common bowl
a common path
gratitude

rains all over the landscape
deluge or tiny drops
like tears

listen
acquaintance of grief
our own

note: photo: my daily path.

yellow and blue with dashes of white

I picked up a book, Buddha in the Attic, from the Little Free Library, when I passed by during my daily walk to the river. I began reading a page or more when I stopped to have a breather or whenever I passed by a bench. When I got home I had read 37 pages.

How long did I walk? Can you extrapolate the distance or duration of my walk from the number of pages I read?

If I tell you how long or how far I walked can you tell me the number of pages I read? Of course not, you would say, because the reading was not part of space time although time elapsed when I was reading the book.

I found it interesting that book reading and walking are compatible if not complementary. It even stimulates new ideas. Can brain exercise?

note: note: A photo of one the trees with blossoms like mustard, at least in color.Is this an acacia tree?

space between

my self promise
to walk to the river every day
a rest somewhere between

between branches of a barren tree
blue sky
and a half moon

the river
between two fishing poles
a boat passes

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY

Note:The flowers in the church’s garden I found during my meditation walk.

Yesterday, I attended a religious retreat. For the Catholic Church 2016 is a Year of Mercy. What is mercy? Can I think mercy? How can I be merciful? What is merciful forgiveness?

A few things to reflect upon.