Day 142 Clearest Way

April 30, 2015

(This is part of a 365 project during my 70th year where I write and illustrate a blog on each day's gift.)

Wild violet no larger than an inch.

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest. ~ John Muir

I believe a clear way into the universe is through my yard. Unlike some chemically treated, perfect lawns in my neighborhood, crabgrass and other weeds abound on my lawn—and I like it that way. Perfection is not created through chemicals but through tiny flowers that present themselves with no planning on my part. 

I grew up in a row house in Baltimore City. We had a small lawn patch in the front and mostly concrete in the back yard. In the small space available, my father planted roses and (my favorite) celosia, specifically cockscomb which was a deep velvety red. My mother grew African violets inside. Right outside our house was a sycamore tree with wonderfully textured bark and seed balls with potential for many creative games. There was no forest nearby but nature, order and balance were part of my life.

As we drove around Baltimore earlier this week, I thought of kids growing up in a concrete forest of broken glass, trash and boarded up houses. When I consider the role nature plays in bringing beauty and serenity into my life, I wonder how the lack of nature shapes children’s lives. Perhaps there is a disconnect with the universe on many levels. However, the beautiful flowers that grow on their own in my yard flourish in spite of me. Some children too seem to grow like unwanted and unappreciated weeds. Maybe it is up to us to find their beauty. It could be another path to the universe.

Today I felt connected when I examined a wild purple violet of less than one inch. It is a weed but it is one pathway to the universe. 

My gift today is a tiny piece of the universe.

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> Day 143  Continuum

You can find links to my other posts on this project here:
http://bjschupp.blogspot.com/2014/12/365-gifts.html