Day 324 Connections

October 29, 2015

(If we live with an open and grateful attitude, every day will bring a gift. This is one of 365 gifts during the year I turned 70.)

A Chinese woman, student in an art class at Anne Arundel Community College, works on an oil painting of autumn in Downs Park.

Just a few miles away, Downs Park is a treasure in my area. Actually, I think that all parks are treasures everywhere. There is something about watching a squirrel, listening to a sparrow, walking under red leaves, or admiring wild mushrooms that bring balance into one’s life. All people should have access to nature within a short distance from where they live.

When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ~ John Muir

David and I walked a short distance today in Downs near closing time. Everyone we met greeted us and in some cases, we stopped and had conversations. People taking an art class at Anne Arundel Community College had easels set up and were creating their own painted scenes in the park. Other people were walking with their dogs, families or sweethearts. We walked out on the pier and spoke with people who were fishing and saw someone catch a catfish. Some of the fishermen spoke Spanish. One African American man we spoke to, with an amputated leg and minus a number of teeth, told us he had served in Vietnam and told us about the challenges of getting proper medical care as a veteran. Without exception, everyone of all ages and backgrounds connected with one another. 

Parks connect people with nature, but they also connect us with one another and help us maintain sanity in a stressful and imbalanced world. 

One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” ~ John Muir

My gift today is a walk in the park.

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> Day 325: Dust Removed

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