The Peace of Wild Things
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
–– Wendell Berry
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Ripple Effects 
A perfect joining of words and image. It took me a minute to understand I was seeing a different kind of trinity: creature, shadow, and reflection.
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Thanks for the insight! The pondering, for me, is on these three words: ‘For a time’. I have Rom. 8:22 in my mind.
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That first shot is especially a winner with the shadow AND the reflection, too! So stunning — I think it’s hard to catch them in flight so crisply.
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I took these photos a few years back and guess what, it was close to winter time or maybe early spring as there were icy patches on some parts of the pond.
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Beautiful peace!! Your photographs are really beauties, Arti!! Thank you so totally much!! I , myself, receive much comfort from nature: birds, bees, flowers, trees, skies, clouds, all of it!! Jesus said, “When fear tries to come upon you, enter into Me.” And I add, I stay with Him awhile, and the fear leaves. He is our Rock, our Fortress, our Deliverer!!
God bless, C-Marie
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I love this poem, too!
Beautiful shots.
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Such majestic photos of that beautifully colored bird!
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Magnificent!
Thank you for sharing Wendell Berry’s wise words.
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So true and fitting with Romans 8:22 in mind. This poem is looking forward to that day and when the groaning ends.
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Exactly. All these relief and peace found in nature, or books, or the arts… are but temporal relief, until that ultimate redemption which will end all groaning among all creation. Thanks for throwing in your two pebbles and sending your ripples. 🙂
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