That's Life

The AtHome Pilgrim

Musings at a Slower Pace

AtHomePilgrim

Location: Philly area, Pennsylvania, USA

Company: Searchers

Bio: "Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita," I find myself still asking some of the same questions I did when I was just a punk kid. The Big Things confuse me. Fortunately, though, many little things delight and amuse me, and some Big Things--my wife, our kids, our bird and bunny visitors, food, baseball--make me very, very happy. In my pilgrimage, I try to be guided by the wisdom of dear old Auntie Mame: "Life is a banquet!"

MY RECENT POSTS

Further Strolls Along the Delaware Canal
April 22, 2012 10:46AM
Friday List: Obit Headlines That Should Have Been
April 20, 2012 07:49AM
Of Turkey and Humans
April 14, 2012 09:22AM
Spring Morning
March 28, 2012 08:04AM
Finding The Way (movie review)
March 26, 2012 08:11AM

MY RECENT COMMENTS

“Talk about running the gamut . . . . Hope you survive the swelter, that your moth…”
April 22, 2012 08:34AM
“"we share the throbs / Lingering inside of me" How beautiful, that shari…”
April 22, 2012 08:30AM
“"Rather, dumping this load of trash is a kind of vandalism, a very deliberat…”
April 22, 2012 08:27AM
“Yes, some food writing is just about snooty, and other examples are self-aggrandi…”
April 22, 2012 08:24AM
“Hobbes was four-fifths right. His full description is "solitary, poor, nasty…”
April 22, 2012 08:18AM

AtHomePilgrim's Links

Fictionique: Fictionique
Travel and Places: Longwood Gardens in Summer; One-Stop Guide to 15 Posts About Spanish Vacation
Things Natural: Autumn Colors (photo essay); Resilience of Nature; Early Spring in the Park; Hearing Spring Sounds; A Tribute to Trees, in Pictures; Birds, an Appreciation; Sunset in Pictures; Animal Word Play; Listening for Butterflies; Squirrels Yes, Deer No; Ode to Spring; Life Strategies of Birds
Things Spiritual and Philosophical: Thoughts on a One-Winged Bee; An Example of Balance; Life in Words and Pictures; Seizing the Opportunity for Awe; My Take on the 10 Commandments; A Peaceful Moment; Needed: A Fresh Perspective; Thinking About Salvation; Thoughts on Destiny and Free Will; Being Effortless Takes Effort
Things Baseball: The Meeting That Changed Baseball; Baseball and Life: Seasons; Baseball and Impermanence; Baseball Broadcasters as Epic Poets; Baseball and Life: Thoughts on a New Season; Baseball and Life: The Tao of Baseball; Baseball and Life: Situational Hitting; The 1968 World Series; Tribute to Bob Gibson
Things Historical: Lincoln's Death; Sumter Crisis #1: The Dilemma; Sumter Crisis #2: The Best Laid Plans; Sumter Crisis #3: Sumter Falls; The Emancipation Proclamation; Antietam #1: The Discovery That Set Up the Battle; Antietam #2: Prelude to Battle; Antietam #3: The Battle; Antietam #4: The Aftermath; John Lewis and His Speech at the March on Washington; Gettysburg #1: Meade Takes Command; Gettysburg #2: Lee's Invasion and Prelude to Battle; Gettysburg #3: The First Day; Gettysburg #4: The Second Day; Gettysburg #5: The Third Day
People: The Collected I Remember Mami; 10 Things I Love About Mrs. P; A Poem on Our Anniversary; Blended Languages, Blended Love (poem); Another Love Poem to My Love; Poem About Young Love with Mrs. P; How I Met Mrs. P; Teaching Values Through Martial Arts; A Life of Losses; Eulogy for My Brother; Two Brothers; Number Two Son; Tribute to a Teacher; One for My Kids; The Parental Pain of a Colicky Baby; One for My Father-in-Law; One for My Mother
Miscellaneous Entries: 10 (12) Things I Love About Spring; 10 Things I Love About Summer; 10 Favorite Things About Autumn; 10 Things I Grudgingly Accept About Winter; Appreciating Books; 25 Books That Influenced My Life; Favorite Spanish Words and Phrases; What Writing Means to Me; First Post: Explaining the Pilgrimage

« Back to Posts

SEPTEMBER 2, 2009 10:12AM

Rate: 12 Flag

Life-thorn-tree Life can be thorny.

Life-peeling-birch It can wear you away

Life-fallen-leaf

and knock you down.

Life can leave you Life-Longwood-beech scarred

Life-stick or seem to abandon you.

Life-acorn

But life contains the seed of hope.

Life-ribbed-leaf It is full of beauty both strange

Life-lily

and familiar.

Life-gingko Life is lush and full

and open for anyone who wishes to savor it.

You need only find your path

and see your light,

Life-maple

and then share your love with others.

Life-phlox

Author tags:

belief/religion, nature, poem, peace

Your tags:

TIP:

Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!

Comments

Post a comment

These are wonderful pictures and an even better philosophy. Thanks for brightening my morning.

Redstocking Grandma

September 02, 2009 10:33 AM

Glad you enjoyed, Granny! Thanks for saying so!

AtHomePilgrim

September 02, 2009 11:19 AM

Wonderful truths contained in nature, not hidden but out for all the world to see....if only we would look. This was nice, very nice.

Rated.

David McClain

September 02, 2009 12:29 PM

What you say is true, Torman. Glad you enjoyed this.

AtHomePilgrim

September 02, 2009 01:18 PM

Wonderful thoughts with excellent illustration. I plan to revisit this a few times down the road.

Thanks for sharing-- rated for beauty.

CarolinaBlue50

September 02, 2009 06:17 PM

Thanks, CB. You get a free pass! ;)

AtHomePilgrim

September 02, 2009 06:53 PM

Very fine words and images. Love the message.

Michael Rodgers

September 02, 2009 09:39 PM

Thanks for stopping by, Michael, and for your evaluation.

AtHomePilgrim

September 03, 2009 05:53 AM

Oh THIS is wonderful!!! I needed this message today. Thank you!! Rated and shared with my friends in hopes they too will have a chance to see/read this lovely message!

JRDOG

September 03, 2009 08:07 AM

Thanks, JRDOG. Your words warm my heart.

AtHomePilgrim

September 03, 2009 08:11 AM

Cool!

tai

September 03, 2009 08:15 AM

great metaphor within the visual. rAted!

Chuck A. Stetson

September 03, 2009 11:03 AM

tai, glad you think so!

Chuck: Thanks for visiting, and for your appreciation!

AtHomePilgrim

September 03, 2009 11:16 AM

Absolutely beautiful. Sometimes pictures and words say together so much more than if we crafted just the words. Wonderful, Pilgrim.

Rev. Dr. Monte Canfield

September 03, 2009 12:52 PM

Thanks, Monte. You know what they say about how much a picture is worth--I figure I just saved everyone a lot of reading!

AtHomePilgrim

September 03, 2009 12:57 PM

Visual meditation . . . wonderful!

Owl_Says_Who

September 03, 2009 06:36 PM

Thanks for letting me know you like it, Owl.

AtHomePilgrim

September 03, 2009 07:25 PM

Beautiful images and reflections. I often pass a cluster of locust trees during my morning strolls; I'm always struck by the contrast between the delicate fern-like leaves and the menacing thorns. Creation offers so many lessons--We just need to be attuned to see them.

Skye Writer

September 03, 2009 08:38 PM

What a fabulous and inspirational and true pictoral message. Thank you AHP.

Dave Scriven

September 03, 2009 09:51 PM

skye: Thanks for stopping in. You're right--locust trees are great examples of the complex lessons we can learn from nature. I'm equally amazed by redwoods, which contrast huge, rough trunks with lacy, soft needles.

Dave: You're welcome--and thank you!

AtHomePilgrim

September 04, 2009 06:43 AM

Beautiful photos! Love the one with the path. A great message also! Thank you!

Just Pamela

September 04, 2009 06:48 AM

Thanks, JustPam: I'm glad you found this resonate with you. I like the path picture, too. You probably can't tell, but it's a fountain at the end, in a clearing. Seems like just the right metaphor.

AtHomePilgrim

September 04, 2009 07:01 AM