Sunrise, Sunset: Life-long Trails

Photo by Danielle Simone, taken near John Martin Dam, Hasty, Colorado, 2010


My friend sent me a touching post which I want to share - in part.

One of the special life-jackets in life are friends who care enough to reach out and give support when our life-light might be a little dimmer than usual. It's a warm and subtle helping hand, an 'I understand', a 'been there, done that and please be assured, it goes away quickly' kind of caring. It is precious and rare, and a life blessing that is deeply appreciated and treasured.

I quickly add that among the friends, acquaintances and other people who grace my life, each of them has their own special life-force that blesses me in more ways than is possible to state here. Hopefully, I share adequate, ongoing appreciation and caring back to them along the way.

In particular, I will always treasure the Love of one close friend and neighbor who literally kept my nose above the churning waves, during my husband's recent illness.





















But the note below, found recently in my 'in-box', prompted a need to share.

So, for anyone whose outlook is a bit more shadowed or uphill than usual today, this is for you.



"There are things in life that just make no sense whatsoever - whether you have strong faith or not. Disease and growing old are two of those things.

We both love the sunrises and sunsets. They continue on... If there is a sunset, there will be a sunrise. The magnificence of nature brings us both joy. Life is like the continuum of nature --- the sunrise is birth, the dawn of a new day. We live through the morning, absorb the sunlight of prosperity during the day, and squeeze the last drops of sunlight out of the day (ie: old age, death, disease), long after the sun has gone down.

But...there is a sunrise the next morning. No matter how desperate the day ends, the sun will come up tomorrow. Life is a circle and just as it ends --- so it will begin. In my belief, that beginning is in heaven. That's where faith takes me.
In nature --- that beginning comes with the dawn. Although there's disease, death, and the night is full of marauders who thrive in the darkness, with the morning comes fingers of light and life. You appreciate the morning. But, I know that you understand the night too. Without the nighttime, there would be no morning.

When you're feeling down --- wait, patiently for the dawn... It's there, within your reach, just hold on tight and be patient".

Jan Verhoeff


As always...Nature prevails.






















NEW JERSEY SHORELINE, March 2010


Photos on this website taken by Danielle Simone unless otherwise stated.