An Eye for Beauty

"Give me work to do, give me health, give me joy in simple things, give me an eye for beauty, a tongue for truth, a heart that loves, a mind that reasons, a sympathy that understands. Give me neither malice nor envy, but a true kindness and a noble common sense. At the close of each day give me a book and a friend with whom I can be silent."--S. M. Frazier

This stately old tree stump silently presides over Little River Park north of Durham. It's bleached and weathered surface boasts the most beautiful, fluid lines. It brought to mind the lovely wrinkles on an wizened face.--Sue Ivy

Wind Ever Soft

Know'st thou the land where the lemon-trees bloom,
Where the gold orange glows in the deep thicket's gloom,
Where a wind ever soft from the blue heaven blows,
And the groves are of laurel and myrtle and rose?--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The Cosmic Dance of Life

Creativity, connection, soul, inspiration and intuition are available only in the present moment for the present moment. We choose how actively we take part in the cosmic dance of life. We can become wallflowers, mere spectators to life, if we get trapped in the patterns and habits of the past. Or we can choose to dance by being present and open to the energies, the opportunities and the guidance available to us each moment.--John and Patrice Robson www.higherawareness.com

John and Patrice Robson’s astute insights into the realm of higher awareness have long been a welcome start to my day. Their daily quotes and remarkable teachings and have helped shape the person I am today and have truly heightened my awareness of myself and the world around me.—Sue Ivy

Immense Beauty Hidden Within

"When your inner eyes open, you can find immense beauty hidden within the inconsequential details of daily life. When your inner ears open, you can hear the subtle, lovely music of the universe everywhere you go."--Timothy Ray Miller

My attempt to capture the tiny details of nature has completely changed the way I view the world and hence has changed my life. This lovely little azure-blue feather was all but hidden in the lush grass. Had my awareness not been heightened by my photographic endeavor, I would have completely missed its fragile, delicate beauty.--Sue Ivy

Yet to Be Discovered

"Today we may face some boring task or idle conversation that feels like a complete waste of time. Perhaps next week or next year we'll understand that nothing is wasted, that in the economy of our universe even a weed is simply a flower whose use has yet to be discovered."--Mort Crim

My favorite nature park has recently been transformed. Mowing has been all but curtailed and the manicured, green pastures are now a knee-deep sea of wildness. While I sometimes miss the lawn-like expanse of grass, I’ve grown to appreciate the profusion of plant life that now inhabits the land. In my quest to properly identify the species captured by my lens, I’ve discovered many different varieties which I might have not have ever given a second thought. One of the most intriguing is the Wooly Mullein, a weed whose insidious nature is belied by its velvety soft leaves, mellow golden flowers and delicate, majestic stalks.--Sue Ivy

Let Go and Float

"Today I know that I cannot control the ocean tides. I can only go with the flow. When I struggle and try to organize the Atlantic to my specifications, I sink. If I fail and thrash and growl and grumble, I go under. But if I let go and float, I am borne aloft."--Marie Stilkind

Breathe in the Wonder of Life

"Give yourself space by spending time in nature, taking an hour or day off, enjoying quiet moments for reflection. Take time to smell the roses. Breathe in the wonder of life and its bounty. Open so your deeper awareness and imagination can percolate through mundane thoughts and activities. Let go of both resistance and force to allow yourself to connect more deeply to life."—John Robson

Sing the Song That Has Never Been Heard

"To sing the song that has never been heard. To write. And to live. Because we must find what we most need to say, most want to share with a world that's been waiting for the sweet rain that follows our feet."—Jim Warda

There is nothing quite as fragrant as the sharp, crisp scent of pine needles just after a summer storm. While this image cannot capture that sweet perfume, it does evoke much of the feeling. Fat, wet drops sparkle at the tips of aromatic pine needles in the newly-emerged sunlight. There they linger for the briefest moment before cascading to the forest floor. And I linger there to see them shine.—Sue Ivy

The Universe is One Great Kindergarten

"The universe is one great kindergarten for man. Everything that exists has brought with it its own peculiar lesson. The mountain teaches stability and grandeur; the ocean immensity and change. Forests, lakes, and rivers, clouds and winds, stars and flowers, stupendous glaciers and crystal snowflakes-every form of animate or inanimate existence, leaves its impress upon the soul of man."--Orison Swett Marden

We Have What We Seek

"We have what we seek. It is there all the time, and if we give it time, it will make itself known to us."--Thomas Merton

For several days I’d been admiring the frilly, pink beauty of the Mimosa trees in full bloom and had been looking for a tree to photograph. Mimosa’s are quite plentiful in this area but somehow the right tree proved elusive. Either they were so large that the lower branches were not accessible to my lens or the location of the tree made it impossible to access. Then one day, I took a short cut to work and there, just steps from my office, was the most glorious tree, in full bloom. A wonderful lesson that often what you need is within reach, you just need to take a slightly different path.--Sue Ivy

Breaking Through the Veil

"All that is sweet, delightful, and amiable in this world, in the serenity of the air, the fineness of seasons, the joy of light, the melody of sounds, the beauty of colors, the fragrancy of smells, the splendor of precious stones, is nothing else but Heaven breaking through the veil of this world, manifesting itself in such a degree and darting forth in such variety so much of its own nature."--William Law