A small walk, a small poem

This morning, in the middle of the monsoon season

The clouds were covering the sky 

but somehow the weather was dry

A small walk on the beach.The sun came peeping through a thin spot in the carpet of grayness. 

My mind wandered in the direction of that great energy that flows through stems and twigs of trees in spring, to that great energy that feeds the wild flowers growing their amazing colors at random. My heart strolled towards that lovely force that makes the sea move, that tender power that generates the winds. 

My soul woke up and became a bit vocal pushing me over the cliff in a bustling sea of gratitude and kindness, floating like an eagle.

I stopped in my steps and turned to the sea, my eyes focused on a large wave:

 

The masculine shoulders of a big wave

Sway elegantly towards the shore

Then suddenly they break out

 In a sea of white tears,

 Splashing in the sky

 Strolling forward to come

 And give a gentle massage

 To my legs and feet.

 

 

 

If you can make the time today, my friends, to make a short walk in nature, please do not let the opportunity pass. It can be so refreshing, so soothing, so wonderful. 

 

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I am sure you will enjoy some of my other online treasures as well:

 - Inspirational and motivational poems (I have written them under the pen name of Aufie Zophy)

  https://aufiezophypoems.blogspot.com/

 

- Beautiful skies seen by Hans:

https://hansvro.wixsite.com/mysite-1/skies-seen-by-hans  

 

- Beautiful flowers:

 https://hansvro.wixsite.com/flowersbyhans

 

- Two fables and a short story (my own favorite is 'Sammy and Alice')

https://shortstoriesfables.blogspot.com/ 

- Inspirational quotes:

https://quotesfromhans.blogspot.com/

 

- Very short essays about simple good things:

https://abcofvirtues.blogspot.com/

 

 Small prayers for this big world:

https://smallprayersforabigworld.blogspot.com/
 

 

 

 

 

The story of the bamboo

    The Chinese bamboo tree grows very slowly for 3 to 5 years, after which it suddenly can grow a few feet within weeks. During the period of slow growth it builds an underground network of roots and builds up the energy that will be necessary for the rapid growth phase. 

    Ferns grow quite fast very soon after planted but never reach the height of an adult bamboo tree. 

The Chinese parable of the bamboo tree compares humans to ferns and bamboos. Some of us are made to grow fast but do not reach the final heights of those among us who need to build a strong foundation before we can start to grow fast. It is a story of patience and perseverance. If we do not see the growth in our life even though we work hard and live a good life, this may the period we require to grow strong roots to sustain us when we experience rapid growth. 

Sometimes we need to learn so many lessons, especially the lesson of humility before we can grow as the bamboo tree, very fast. Without humility we tend to be so reckless that after a period of rapid growth, we will fall as fast as we were growing. Only if we have a strong foundation of values we will stay at a good height. I do not consider the billionaires or presidents of large nations who cannot even manage their own core family as high growers. They may be in the news, but they are often so far from peace of mind and true happiness that it is hard to call them truly successful. Becoming very wealthy without peace of mind or true happiness is a far cry from true success

Sometimes, I feel alone

Sometimes I feel incredibly alone in this world. Have you ever felt like that too? About an hour ago, I really felt like that. Even though it was after ten p.m, I went outside, made a short walk in the garden and took a few deep breaths. I watched the moon, I felt the breeze, I saw the trees. They were alone too.It made the feeling of being incredibly alone a bit more bearable but it did not change its intensity. 

Then I came inside and decided I needed to think for awhile about myself, about these feelings. My attention drifted to a book that just lied there on the coffee table of our living room. I opened the book at a random page, close to the middle. and soon was reading the prayer of Francis of Assisi. 

 I remembered how once this little prayer had affected my life. I drifted off in memories of how the simple decision to focus on giving love rather than on the love that I received, made an enormous difference in my life. 

 I remembered how the simple decision to try to understand rather than to be understood, made a huge difference in my life.

 These memories made the feeling of being incredibly alone crumble slowly but definitely. 

 I could see the big space in my heart where all the love in the world was stored, I could see the big space in my mind where gratefulness was abundant

Have you felt like that as well?

I think the words of that prayer carry so much wisdom, so much kindness, that it is worth reading them again and for every human on this planet to discover how much these words, these ideas can mean to all of us.  

I wish you lots of love, and if feelings of loneliness enter your heart, do not let them bring you down, but search for the message they want you to learn.  

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I hope the above reflection brings you a bit in a poetic mood.

Please enjoy the following wonderful poem from Aufie Zophy: 

 

The most beautiful poems of Aufie Zophy are on this site:
https://aufiezophypoems.blogspot.com/ 

Enjoy!

Forest bath

In Japan, in the 1980s, Japanese doctors saw a lot of depression and high stress levels in their patients. They wondered if they get their patients back to nature, whether that would be helpful and they did research on the topic. Taking a "forest bath" was not only beneficial to the mental health of the patient but also physically the patients experienced lots of benefits in terms of blood pressure, heart rate and even blood sugar levels.

Forest bathing is not a hike for physical fitness or exploring the woods, it is merely spending time in nature, in the forest (or the park) and get your senses (at least 4 of them) to experience the calmness and serenity of nature. For sure visually is the easiest. Just taking the time to observe the beauty of a tree, the wonderful crown with the plentiful adorable leaves, the stem and the texture of the bark and the amazing roots. But then we can close our eyes and try to hear the sounds, the sounds from far away but also the sounds of the tree (the wind in the leaves, the birds in the crown,...) and feel the bark of the tree. Let the energy flow. Feel the air on our cheeks, in our hair. Taking a deep breath and feeling the air in our nose in our throat and in our chest. Taking in the smells of the tree, the smell of the woods, ... If we happen to find a chestnut, we can even taste the forest. 

 I love walks in the forest, I love walks on the beach. even before I read about the research of forest baths, I knew that walks in nature have powerful healing properties, especially for  our soul, but also for our body, mind and heart. 

If you have not tried a forest bath, please make some time for a walk in nature without other objective than to take in the beauty of it all. Not for fitness, not for exploration, just to enjoy the great pleasure of spending pure time in nature.

 

Faster

The sun was moving faster
Than the clouds
A spectacle of superb skies
Rapidly changing

A red ball coming out
Of the deep sea
But quickly hiding
Behind a band of gray

The thunderous moisture
Getting orange spots;
Soon yellow rays
Seeping through

Bright areas of water
Glittering close to the horizon
And then the clouds suddenly
moved faster than the sun

Aufie Zophy

 

 

A small poem after an early morning beach walk.

Mornings have really some magic in them

The beauty of the light, of the trees, of the skies,

It feels like supernatural almost

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A look at some beautiful skies:

https://hansvro.wixsite.com/mysite-1/skies-seen-by-hans 

Beautiful flowers: 

https://hansvro.wixsite.com/flowersbyhans

Wonderful poems (inspirational and motivational):

 https://aufiezophypoems.blogspot.com/

(my pen name for poetry name is Aufie Zophy) 

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Some beautiful inspirational quotes: 

 https://quotesfromhans.blogspot.com/ 

A fantastic short story:

 https://afishwithawish.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-fish-with-wish-whole-story.html

Simply some essays about good things:

 https://abcofvirtues.blogspot.com/

Lovely trees

I love trees. Do you love them too?

Just now at 10.15 PM, i thought for awhile about my day. 

I became aware I had not taken even a minute to watch a tree.

 

So I went out, put on some garden lights and watched 

I watched the beautiful majestic crown of a tree

Then its stem and I mused about how deep the roots must go.

 

The silence of the night, the scantiness of the garden lights

gave the whole scene a touch of magic. 

 

It felt like my soul was ready to break its silence

and talk to me about the endless wisdom hidden 

in the universe.

 
I love trees, do you too?

Beauty

 

If we manage to be grateful for a few minutes every morning for the beauty in our life, we are adding a bit of magic to our day 😃

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Enjoy also the archive of this blog

For a version in Dutch, can click: 

Juweeltjes voor de ziel

Planet of Hope

Is there hope for the world as it is? 

Is there any hope at all?

Is there hope for our children?

Or are we heading for an endless fall?

 

Is there hope that one day,

The world will be nice and kind?

Is there hope that almost all living here,

Will be able to enjoy peace of mind?

 

If all of us get desperate about the future

Because of all negativity we see on TV

There is indeed no hope for the world

Barren and lifeless, soon it may be

But if we keep believing in humanity

If we are ready to make small changes every day

At least in our house or the place where we live,

If we are ready to give a smile to anyone crossing our way

 

If we are ready to stand in awe for all of nature’s beauty

If we are ready to be grateful for all the love and peace

If everyone ‘d perform in the next hour an act randomly kind

Then the world 'll change and provide all with ease

 

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Links to other blogs/sites that may be worth a bit of your time:

 

A look at some beautiful skies: https://hansvro.wixsite.com/mysite-1/skies-seen-by-hans 

Beautiful flowers: https://hansvro.wixsite.com/flowersbyhans

 

Inspirational poetry https://aufiezophypoems.blogspot.com/

Some beautiful inspirational quotes:  https://quotesfromhans.blogspot.com/ 

A fantastic short story: https://afishwithawish.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-fish-with-wish-whole-story.html

Simply some essays about good things: https://abcofvirtues.blogspot.com/

Small prayers for a big world: https://smallprayersforabigworld.blogspot.com/

The beach

Breaking waves

Breaking waves from the azure blue sea
are touching the deepest of the soul of me
A flood of thoughts that are pure and kind
Inundate and refresh my heart and mind

The broad smiles of foam on the wavy tops
makes my problems light and worrying stops
Well-wishing roars of the waves so sweet
make me see the good in everyone I meet

Come, my friends, come to this beach too
And let the waves of the sea inspire you.