Sunday Morning Walk

The other day Doug Noon posted some pictures from Alaska by way of illustrations for his answers to the Successful Life meme. That looked like fun, and Doug was inviting others to play, so this morning when I went out for my Sunday morning walk in the neighborhood and on campus, I took my camera with me, with one 18th of my brain reserved for Hunt for Relevant Material. So Doug, this one's for you. The pictures are displayed in the order in which they were taken.

To everything there is a season.

It's spring in Hawaii. The changes are subtle, but there. This tree across the street from my condo is shedding its golden yellow flowers. It's beautiful. It doesn't last long.

Strive for balance.

The world of nature and the world of technology. The moon and the memes. The trees and the transformers. They frame one another.

Shape the world you live in.

First comes choice. Then comes responsibility. The only completely natural things in this picture arethe mountain, the sky, and the sunlight. The buildings, the hedges, the trees are part of a vision. Vision is a good thing.

Water the grass.

A long time ago I read an essay by Ken Kesey in which he extolled the virtues of watering. It's one of the few things you can do that you don't have to second-guess yourself about. (At least if you have your own spring-fed water supply, as we do on campus.)

Pay attention.

What do you see? A sheet? A tarp? A mountain beside a lake? Depends on whether you look. Depends on how you look.

Take care of yourself.

Mens sana in corpore sano. The Sisters of Mercy taught me that in third grade. They were right. Walking, like watering, is one of the elemental satisfactions. And it's good for you.

Slow down.

'Nuf said.

Take time to reflect.

Still water produces clearer images.

Make a space for yourself.

This is the office of a colleague, viewed through the outside window. Looks like a nice place to work.

Find your way back home.

You know where that is, right?