Another day has brought a transformation in perception and an alteration in my experience of winter's wallop... A stark contrast in the illuminated brilliance of the morning and a striking difference in the play of light as I opened my door... The palm tree near the window basked in the warmth of the sunlight, which … Continue reading What A Difference A Day Makes
As the storm began on Friday...there was only a hint of what was to come... This morning...the world looked remarkably different on the surface...but underneath it all...the foundation remains the same... Upon waking this morning...the ferocity of the winter storm had clouded my view out the bedroom window... ...But it also revealed a hidden intricate … Continue reading Winter’s Withering Wallop
Christmas at the Lake House By JJHIII24 Tumbling memories spill out along the uncertain path before me; The surrounding forest whispers its morning message, As I trudge my way through dew-ladened grass; Cooler air nips at my fingertips and toes As the fog envelopes me in a vague embrace. The early morning exhales a silent … Continue reading Christmas at the Lake House
I recently put together a collection of photographs that I have taken over the course of the autumn season, from the very early autumn at a nearby state park, all the way through to the final days of the season with all of the leaves on the ground in my backyard. I put them into … Continue reading Autumn Reverie
The times when I am at my quietest is when I am best able to recall the connection of souls, lingering in memory. Perhaps, as a memory, reflecting on the connection seems delightful in a way that is sometimes difficult to see when we are actually experiencing the connection. Gazing upon those we love, and … Continue reading The Connection of Souls
In his acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize, William Faulkner addressed important elements surrounding the "poet's, the writer's duty:" "I feel that this award was not made to me as a man, but to my work – a life’s work in the agony and sweat of the human spirit, not for glory and least of … Continue reading A Universal Spiritual Perspective
According to Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, intelligence is defined as: noun 1. capacity for learning, reasoning, understanding, and similar forms of mental activity; aptitude in grasping truths, relationships, facts, meanings, etc. 2. manifestation of a high mental capacity: "He writes with intelligence and wit." In a recent study conducted at the University of Western Ontario, researchers … Continue reading An Artificial Version of Human Intelligence?
"I can control my destiny, but not my fate. Destiny means there are opportunities to turn right or left, but fate is a one-way street. I believe we all have the choice as to whether we fulfill our destiny, but our fate is sealed."--Paulo Coelho "Strange things blow in through my window on the wings … Continue reading The Flow of Destiny
"There is something in the mountain air that feeds the spirit and inspires." -- Henry David Thoreau from his essay, "Walking," 1862 Once again, after a long hiatus due to the complications of modern life, I had the privilege of traveling into nature's cathedral, unwinding from the relentless demands of daily life, and drifting into … Continue reading September Journey
Some of the most personally compelling spiritual experiences of my life took place long before I could even identify them as being spiritual. My earliest memories of childhood were punctuated periodically with moments of a kind of "unconscious awareness" of energies or forces beyond my direct experience of the world; occasionally precipitating unplanned and unexpected … Continue reading Avenues to Spirituality
John's Consciousness 