Nature Beckons

As graceful as a bird on the wings of the morning sky,
As delicate as the look from a swan's eye,
As protective as a mother is over her unhatched born,
As a tired bird rests till the morn,
Are all that nature beckons.

No one knows the way the wind blows,
The bend of the grass beckons to the east,
The ripple of the waves counter to the west,
All responding in reverence to the Creator of all things,
The grass, as all creations, bows in reverence to what the eye can't see,
No one knows the way the wind blows,
but His invisibility still commands respect.

We as creation are all God's handy work,
Created to enjoy one another,
The carefree yet careful construction of all kind,
titillates the senses yet boggle the mind,
The petal of flower,
the abstract of a bare tree,
The ecological balance of peace and serenity,
Are all that nature beckons.


I went to Lake Bonny Park for this assignment, and I stayed there for at least 40 minutes. At Lake Bonny the constant blow of the breeze was inspiring. I just closed my eyes and allowed the breath of God to be a reminder of His omnipotence. During what little quiet time I did have I meditated on the ripple of the waves and the bending of the grass that looked like it was bowing in reverence as a response to the wind.

After I left Lake Bonny I went to Lake Morton and was completely encapsulated by the number of birds that use it as a "vacations spot". There were swans, mallards, ducks, crows, all there in harmony feeding off of the bread of its many visitors. I walked across the grass and around the lake and noticed just how at peace the birds were there in spite of the human presence.

I snapped so many pictures and just t stood and admired the tranquility of the area. Though it was in downtown Lakeland, there was a peace around the area. It was undisturbed and REAL.

I really enjoyed this outing. I began to read the "Messenger" by Mary Oliver and found myself constantly stopping at the line "My work is loving the world". That's what I found myself doing today, loving the world. Many days I have just driven by and not taken the time to notice the beauty of his handy work. Not only trees, flower, mountains, and streams, but birds, soil, grass, and all the things that we see as something common. I loved the waddle of the duck, the grace of the swan, the call of the mallard, the touch of the constant breeze, and the blessings of his creation. Today nature beckoned and I answered the call.