Important Lesson

Painting of Treehouse view of Glacier Creek, by Jayne Baron, Bellingham, WA.

This is Judy Borman Harding writing to you on June 13, 2014. I am sitting in my  treehouse in Glacier Washington in the foothills of Mount Baker. I have just driven from Phoenix Arizona where I spent the last six months. 
Now that I am back in "God's country," my primary goals are to write in my blog, Treehouse Reflections, and to complete many unfinished poems.

My writing tools in the treehouse include my computer, journals, camera, and a thermos of coffee. I also keep nearby a Bible and a Rosary, my primary prayer tools.

I have a little calendar called Journey with the Saints. Today's reading,  by Saint Anselmo says: “Cast away your troublesome cares; put aside a little leisure time to converse with God, and take your rest a while in Him.  Enter into the secret chamber of your heart; leave everything outside but God and when you have shut the door, then truly seek Him.”

I want to pause a moment to thank God.  I thank Him for giving me this beautiful little treehouse in which to work. He has given me the most excellent tools, including this computer into which I dictate these words. He has gifted me with an excellent camera and an eye for beauty. I thank him for a kind and understanding husband and for providing us with homes in both Arizona and Washington so that we can enjoy the many glorious seasons he has created.  I thank Him profusely for my six children and 10 grandchildren.

  I thank Him for the many talents He has given me and I ask the Holy Spirit to guide me in using them wisely.  I thank Him for giving me the Holy Bible to enrich my days, for providing wonderful churches in both of my towns and for inspiring in me a devotion to the Rosary through which I contemplate the life of His Son. 

My husband says that he is like a wise old owl observing all. I, on the other hand, am a hummingbird, flitting from place to place seeking beauty.  I mention this now because I have just been distracted by the beauty of a crystal hanging in the treehouse window, as below:

The interesting thing about my distraction to photograph this crystal, is the lesson I learned. I tend to do a great deal of my thinking in analogies and by photographing this crystal this morning I have stumbled upon a beautiful analogy for my writing goal. I have long pondered the secret hidden world. The intricacies of nature astound me and I have come to believe that the spiritual world is every bit as beautiful, as mesmerizing and is ultimately unknowable as the physical. But now and then we are given glimpses into the mysteries that surround us.  As scientists learn to look from the infinite to the finite, from the macro to the mini, we spiritual seekers, through meditation and prayer, often find ourselves experiencing what one might call “signs and wonders,” in the form of insights, visions, and spiritual synchronicity with others.

What does that have to do with this crystal photograph?

After photographing this crystal in the north window I turned to the west window to photograph the raindrops on the great hanging cedar branch. I did not see the prismatic reflection of the crystal until I downloaded the photo, as below:

Of course, I looked at the window again to see if I could see this prismatic reflection and I could not.  To me, this is very much the way the spiritual world works.  My IMPORTANT LESSON is this:  I've come to believe there is a stunningly beautiful and vibrant spiritual world just outside of our vision and sometimes we are allowed glimpses of it.  I hope, though my prayer, reading, photography and writing, to experience more of it and to share with my readers.  Holy Spirit, guide me.