Earth-Love: Gaze Upon the Clouds

Zhuhai, China. Bus to Doumen

Watch the rain fall down. Watch the trees in the wind, but always in this collage of life, let us also watch the clouds. The clouds and sky share much, and their very nature will allow for us to learn more about ourselves.

One of the largest challenges in the world is to find beauty in that which others have dismissed. When someone says the words beauty or beautiful, it is rare for one to conjure an image of a dark gray rain cloud. Yet anyone who has sat on the porch and felt the cool air at that perfect temperature, the gentle breeze blowing on by, and the dark thunderheads approaching knows that there is a certain beauty in all parts of nature. The frozen waterfall might have its own kind of beauty in the reflecting sunlight, but the dark rain cloud allows the air to feel so nice.

During the sunsets when the clouds block the sun's glowing rays, the outline of the powerful cumulus clouds looks french vanilla ice cream, a more conventional form of beauty. The light of the setting sun spreads across the landscape, and the colors of all it touches become so vivid. Gazing upon the lands one might think they are living in a painting or a high resolution photograph, but no matter how strong the editing software is, it does not compare to the power of nature.

When the snowstorm barrels across the continent dropping heaps of white powder, the clouds form together into a strong and tenacious force. As the clouds unify, they combine into a mass of gray across the entire snowscape. Not a single separation can be seen, and the flakes of snow and ice fall from what appears to be an endless span of strength. Beauty is found in many shades.

Of course on a clear day when the sky is blue, the clouds can find a way to form into a beautiful pose, yet most people might imagine a glowing yellow sun and a few white puffs,but instead, one can also think of a cirrus cloud like the stroke of a paintbrush across the blue daylight sky, a poem by nature.

As the sun sets once again, the clouds also form together. After the setting sun is almost in its resting place, the clouds capture a glow across the entire evening sky. It almost appears as if the sky is swarmed with a lakes of fire and molten lava. The orange and red light up the clouds like the celebrations for Chinese New Year.

Let us look upon the clouds with fascination, no matter what color we see in the sky, we should know that there is a way to find beauty in nature. Each moment in the clouds has the possibility for a new poem or song. Learn from the clouds, and let us love the Earth.

Spirit Talk: The Gifts of Nature, The Short Moments of Life, and the Cosmic Spirituality

Zhuhai, Guangdong, China 

Winds from Summer's distant breeze come pouring in the windows. Soon it will be too hot to even smell the afternoon air without contentment fading. The last chance to feel the cool air of the late Spring is a gift like a mid-season Christmas present. The green sprouts of the plants are now strong and growing tall. There is almost a whither in their leaves, and flower petals have even fallen on the light brown soil, which was once as black as the star-laced sky. 

As Spring ends, the heat rolls toward us like the famous Summer flame. As Spring ends, we have the luxury of hiding indoors in the cool refuge of our air-conditioning and climate controlled apartments and house, yet what for those who do not have the possibility? 

One can wait for the green grass and blue waters of the lakeside as a sign that Summer approaches, but one can also anticipate thousands of deaths in India from the heatwaves, crops destroyed across Sub-Saharan Africa, and the dust storms of China. 

With almost each footstep one takes, someone in the world has lost their life. Soon with each footstep someone takes, two people will die instead of one. 

Yet with all the heaviness of tragedy, and with all the burdens of sorrow. Let us move forward with each step in our journey, for it is the only way to go. Moving backward is only a repetition of what someone else has done, for better or for worse. As we expand toward the future, there will be more Summers to come. Let us ask ourselves each year, if we are bringing progress to the world or only repeating the mistakes of those from the past. 

Each year as we approach mid-Spring, let us compose a plan of action for the following year. The cycle does not have to begin on January 1st. Nor does it have to begin when the snow melts. Let us compose a plan on how we can help other people, make our communities stronger, share kindness with our neighbors, friends, and family, be a supporting voice to those who need you, be a shelter for those who seek comfort in you, and ask for nothing in return. 

Life is about giving. If we are to demand anything from others, we will often find our hands outstretched and empty, waiting for something that will never come. It is up to us to act in kindness to the world, but let them not mistake our kindness for weakness. Do no harm, but do not tolerate injustice for the slightest moment. 

We have so much to offer, so we must learn to find joy in offering. Waiting for others to offer things to us is futile and a destiny of disappointment. Let the mid-Spring emotion be one of optimism, joy, futurism, progression, sharing, nurturing, helping, and of course of love. For it is all we can do to stay away from the low levels of bleakness, and extend our love from the ground all the way to farthest reach of the Cosmos...and perhaps beyond.