How Many Colors Do You See

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.”
John Muir

I just returned from a conference in the western United States. The countryside was spectacular with high towering snowcapped mountains all around me. Trees covered the mountains and at 4500 feet I could see the tree line as the snow began to cover the ground. It was a place where time stood still and I could feel the total peace that nature exudes. I was captured by the beauty and awed by the majesty of the view.

“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.” Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC), Parts of Animals

Each morning I opened the door of my cabin to see squirrels scampering around while deer ate grass and looked back at me with wonder. It was an incredible sight. I saw life surround me and each animal became a part of my soul. I absorbed the wonder and cleared my mind of all the noise and upheaval of our modern world.

“What nature delivers to us is never stale. Because what nature creates has eternity in it. “ Isaac Bashevis Singer, New York Times Magazine, Nov. 26, 1978

As I returned to my home I could see that the trees had opened their leaves for a summer of breathing stale air and replacing it with life giving oxygen. Each tree seemed to give off an aura of new life and each gave my eye a tapestry of delight. I saw the color green in every shade and hue. I was amazed at how I could see each hue and marveled at how the sun gave a luminescence to each leaf. It was as if an artist took a brush and painted each leaf with love.

“Love is a canvas furnished by Nature and embroidered by imagination.” Voltaire (1694 - 1778)

How many colors have you seen today? When you look at nature do you see beauty of chaos? Do you uncover a reason for life or do you find yourself wondering why? I look at nature and see opportunity to become more. I see beyond the colors and see a profound and gentle hand showing me the way to become whole. I see an incredible panorama that gives me peace of mind and a new and powerful reason for being alive.

“Nature is at work. Character and destiny are her handiwork. She gives us love and hate, jealousy and reverence. All that is ours is the power to choose which impulse we shall follow.” David Seabury

How many colors do you see? Is your life a monotone and drab existence or is it full of brilliance and joy? Can you see your life as the rainbow it was created to be? Do you realize how much you can reflect the peace of your inner self into the world around you? Where I see color I see the handiwork of God. Where I see color I see the totality of our universe. Where I see color I see the ability each of us has to grow, to mold our lives into the shape of our hearts, and to become what our hearts desire.

“Everyone should carefully observe which way his heart draws him, and then choose that way with all his strength.” Hasidic Saying

Take a moment and allow your mind to clear. Open your eyes and see the colors of your world and begin to allow them to enhance your life. See how each adds to the next and how in seeing each hue you become more at peace. Each time you open your eyes and see the beauty of what lays before you remember that it is in the diversity of color that you become at one with nature and that within each color there are uncountable hues that makes each of our lives unique. Pick your favorite color and seek its profound peace.

“This life is yours. Take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well. Take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly. Take the power to walk in the forest and be a part of nature. Take the power to control your own life. No one else can do it for you. Take the power to make your life happy.” Susan Polis Schutz