Delight

During the Spring of 2020, the world shut down. I’m sure if you’re reading this you remember, but everyone I knew was finding a new hobby to cope with the darkness around us. I personally began spending my time going on long walks by the river and driving to see the sunset. There was just something about, not only getting out of the house but getting to see nature without so many distractions. Somehow, in the midst of all the fear, I found myself walking at a pace of delight. I was finding little reasons to be grateful and hopeful. I found solace in the new spring flowers and the beauty of a pink sunset. I know other folks also found comfort in nature during this season. With the overwhelming fear of the state of the world, we were somehow about to be slow and present, committed to the experience of the moment. It felt completely different from the pace of the world we always live in. We were all searching for hope, for beauty, and for some kind of comfort. 

Since the world returned back to normal, I find myself often rushing through the day, trying to make it to tomorrow or next week. There’s always so much to do, so much to see, so much to become. 

When was the last time you slowed down and really enjoyed the space around you? When you’re not trying to mold it into something better or more productive, but really looking at it for what it is. I think sometimes we rush through life and forget to look at the beauty around us. It’s as if beauty knows we are looking for it - it will be there when we seek it. We are invited daily, through the beauty around us, to walk at the pace of delight. We are continuously invited to pause and observe the beauty around us, but on a day like today, I think it is even more important to look for the beauty around us. 

Today is Earth Day, a day where we have the opportunity to pause and appreciate the beauty of creation - the beauty that God created in the Beginning that we still get to delight in daily. We’ve been given the gift of beauty. God didn’t have to make the world so lovely, but God did. God created everything with deep care and intentionality. It is up to us to steward God’s creation well - to love it as God does and care for it well. In honor of Earth Day and poetry month, I invite you to read the words of Susan Brecht’s poem and wonder: how can I delight in the beauty of creation today? 

The Light of God by Susan Brecht 

The light of God surrounds me,
guiding me on my path.

It opens my eyes to wonder,
as the world around me bursts into colour.

It fills me with joy and awe
at the beauty of God’s creation.

Leaves shimmer and dance in the breeze
as the light of God shines on them.

The rocks above grace the skyline.

The light dances on the water
as it cascades down the mountain.

The light of God surrounds me,
as birds soar overhead,
and ground squirrels scamper across my path.

I see that all nature is filled with God’s light.
It is a part of everything.

The light of God allows all the worries and cares I carry with me
to fall away,
as I rest in the present moment,
at one with nature and God.

The light of God surrounds us all.
Open our eyes to see and give thanks.