Fall color!
I was helping John bring in a small batch of wood yesterday. The weather man DID say there was more frosty weather coming this week. The logs came from a dead elm tree with no bark for covering. Some kind of worm or insect had made tiny burrows in the wood. The patterns were fascinating as they traced a lacy pattern on the surfaces. It was work bringing in the wood, but there was an element of pleasure as well. There are always interesting shapes and textures to the wood and I have been known to rescue a chunk now and then. I have two right now sitting under one of the carousel ponies.
Another time I was visiting with Kenna Reynolds at her little cabin. She was showing me a clump of toadstools or lichen. They were bright golden orange and so beautiful I grabbed my camera and took some pictures. These and other lichens were easily found in the woods nearby.
These are unlooked for, unexpected joys that come along every day. If we are open to the world around us we will find them; the last perfect bloom on the magnolia tree, appealing for its uniqueness. The color of the trees in spring; so many shades of green, and their new leaves giving them a fragile appearance. The clump of violets along the path to the mailbox; the first dandelion blooms scattered across the lawn like a leprechaun’s bounty. There will be time to hate them later, but now they are a sign of spring.
A grand-baby’s laugh and a small hand touching your face. A private joke shared with your loved one across a room. The first of the redbud trees or a dogwood shining in the midst of a new-leaved grove.
Life has a lot of hard times and there is sorrow enough for today. But even in the deepest sorrow there are small joys. When I pray for someone who is ill or facing trouble, I always ask God to give them small joys along the way. I remember those from my own experiences with worry or sorrow. They are the more welcome for being unexpected. A friend’s arm across your shoulder, a magnificent sunset or sunrise. These are the small joys that bring us through and give us the strength we need for this day.
Look at your world today with seeing eyes. Look for the small joys that lighten your heart and bring out the sun.
