Sun and Shadows

     I did my morning exercising a little earlier today.   Looking out the windows of the sun room I was treated to a remarkably beautiful scene of sun and shadows.  The stark demarcation between sun bathing the neighbors house and lawn accentuated the contrast between the sun and shadows in a way that underlined the differences.  In a sense it could be related to the metaphorical sun and shadows of our lives and existence. 

      Without the shadows I think we would not fully appreciate the good things that come to us.   Going through the shadow times of difficulties and then breaking through to the better times can make us fully appreciative of the wonders of the world and our existence.   

     My wife, an ordained pastor in her retirement continues to preach in a couple of churches in the area on a regular basis.  Today's sermon was titled Rejection.   Bear with me now.  I want to tie the sermon message to the contrast between sun and shadow.  The gist of her sermon was to demonstrate that beyond rejection by family or society or circumstances there is redemption.  One can come out these setbacks and find gratifying acceptance of ones self, and for the faithful the bright light of God's love will bring contentment and hope to their lives.

    Beyond the thoughts above, I am reminded of the experiences on the ski slopes on a sunny day when there are a sharp contrasts between the brightly lit snow and the shadows and shapes among the trees.   The patterns of shadows are things of beauty in their own right.  It often inspires me to meditate on the incredible complexity of the evolution of the earth.

Seven Windows!

     During my morning exercise  in my recumbent bike in our sun room,  I was struck by the panorama of the beautiful Autumn morning  framed by the seven bare windows!  Notably, we are in the process of preparing the room for the painters.   All the blinds and curtains are down so there is a new perspective of the neighborhood.  Perhaps this is reminder that change is good.   It changes your view of things and makes you appreciate things that may be partially obscured by veils of one kind or another.

    This leads me to think about other types of veils occurring as we live our lives.   Perhaps we develop cobwebs of thinking in our brain that prevent us from appreciating other viewpoints.  Sometimes in problem solving we let past procedures dominate our attempts to reach a conclusion.   I am a dedicated crossword fanatic.  Often, however, I come up to a brick wall with some of the difficult level puzzles.  Frequently the solution will only come after backing away to refresh new pathways to the answers. 

    Lastly, I am beginning to contemplate the beginning of a new ski season in a couple of months or so.   Will I approach this new season with different perspective?  I have to confess that I am recognizing my physical abilities are suffering decline from aging.   Perhaps the hours on the slope will be shorter and the coffee breaks will be longer.  Also  I regret that more and more of my geezer friends are exiting in one way or another. 

    Returning to the metaphor of the blazing light of bare windows, maybe this is a wake-up call to honor those leaving the Geezer group.  It is also a good reminder to welcome new associates.   

    Finally, who knows what may trigger the above muses on this blog?