lifefullyinhabited

10-16-2012

Took a walk today, with my camera, to the woods.  I snapped some photos of what I would like to call “past peak”.  The trees and leaves are past peak in terms of fall color.  but I wanted to see if I could still find the beauty of nature in past peak performance.  It was overcast and pleasant temps.  The rainy weekend prevented any walking and I thought the dog and I really needed to get out.  I think I found beauty in some unlikely places.

There is a unique beauty to one tree that has some of its leaves gone and the others in the process of falling and others still holding onto their glory.  All the surrounding trees are bare or brown or evergreens.

It is this one tree that captures my attention.  It stands in stark contrast to its surroundings.  How brave and brazen is this tree?  How dare it still declare its flaming colors to the rest of the world?  When fall color was at peak, this tree didn’t seem so flamboyant surrounded by others sporting like colors.  All the trees melded together to form a vista of beautiful warmth.  But now, this lone tree gets more attention.

There is also this one spot where several tree trunks form a surprise linear composition.  The foliage is not so much the star now, past peak.  The underlying structure of the tree stands out.  I would not have noticed this on my walk two weeks ago.  The beauty of the trunk and limbs and their graceful balance is striking.

              Another beautiful composition that caught my eye is the willow tree and its reflection in the creek.  Also something that I would not have noticed a few weeks ago.  I was so mesmerized by all the color, I missed the lines.

Today I noticed.

These things in nature speak to me.  The beauty of the “past peak” stage.  The truth is, that my age would put me in the category of “past peak”.  A woman in her fifties, not noticed too much in a youth-oriented culture.  I can walk down a street or in the mall and feel invisible.  Overlooked.  I don’t attract attention with flamboyant colors or clothes.

I don’t have that dewy youthful glow anymore.  No one would turn back and look twice at me.

I really don’t mind.  It is freeing to be this invisible.  There is something that shows in me

that is more beautiful than a dewy youthful complexion.  There is a sassiness

and twinkle in my eyes now.  I don’t really care what others think.

I’m comfortable with me.

The beautiful graceful foundation of my character speaks louder than the quality of my clothes.  The audacity of my joy makes me a standout in a world of haters.  And the gorgeous reflection of who I am, I hope, speaks of the One I am trying to reflect.

Peak colors, or past peak, the trees still stand.

The ones that have fallen have fallen naturally, not cut by chainsaws

and the hands of man.

There is a quiet honor about the tree fallen in the woods,

like a soldier dying with his boots on.

     And then there is this peace rose that just won’t quit blooming, no matter how cold the nights have been.

It just keeps producing new buds and blooms.

When all the flowers in the garden were parading their finery, this rose was nearly invisible.

Now, when all other contenders have withered in the frost or gone to seed, this one rose bush is a stand-out.

There is beauty “past peak”.  It may be a different kind of beauty and you may have to search a little harder to find it.    But it is no less stunning.

Blessings, and have a great day!