-PHOTO OF THE DAY from The Twelve Gifts from the Garden
As Sanibel Island recovers slowly but steadily from the devastation of Hurricane Ian, along with praying, holding hope, and visualizing Sanibel restored, I am sharing stories written and published before the fierce storm. Photo of the Day is among my favorites because it helps me to appreciate every day - no matter where I am and what is happening - and to take nothing for granted. I also love sharing my memory of this particular day along with the simple but profound and effective practice I learned from my brother.
“Sense the blessings of the earth in the perfect arc of a ripe tangerine, the taste of warm, fresh bread, the circling flight of birds, the lavender color of the sky shining in a late afternoon rain puddle…” - Jack Kornfield
The position of the sun tells me it’s well past noon and my body tells me it’s time to leave the blaze of the beach. I look forward to walking through the cool comfort of the garden on the way to our condo for a light midday meal.
After each long stretch of floating and bobbing in the waves of the warm gulf water this morning, my husband and I rested in the shade under our canopy. The beach is lined with them today. In both directions, as far as the eye can see, tents, umbrellas, and canopies like ours stand side-to-side like festival vendors. I’ve never seen this beach this busy, but then again, until now, we’ve never been here for the 4th of July week.
I push myself up from the lounger, brush my swimsuit, shake my towel, and trudge through the sand to the wooden bridge that arches over a natural growth area. I slip into my flip flops and start across. At the apex I pause to take in the scene as Frank continues onward. In both directions, east and west, bridge after bridge provides safe crossing over the ribbon of wild vegetation that protects the coast from unusually high tides and storm surges. Nearby I spot a marsh bunny in a cluster of sea grapes. Two monarchs flutter around beach daisies. I imagine there are snakes in the thicket. None on this island are poisonous. But, still. I would not want to walk through this area where I also see prickly plants I have not yet identified.
Sweaty, sticky, salty and sandy, I’m ready for a shower, so I move along. At the end of the bridge, muhly grass welcomes me onto the start of the tamed area of the grounds. Whether it’s brown or pink in bloom, the light and feathery muhly grass tickles my joy. A little further on, by the pool I rinse off at the outdoor shower.
My thoughts turn to lunch. A perfectly ripe tomato, a ball of fresh mozzarella, and a bottle of extra virgin olive oil await us. But there’s still the cool garden to enjoy so I slow my pace when I step into the canopy of tall trees. A woman ahead of me hurries along the pathway. It appears that her awareness is not in the present moment.
I choose not to judge or assume anything about her. Often, I am not in the here and now myself, even after many “smell the roses” life lessons, including two bouts of cancer and three near death experiences. There have been times of experiencing amazing grace and moments of feeling At-One. Usually such moments are short-lived but impactful, like my encounter with the Black Swallowtails here.
Synchronicities. I believe we’ve all had them, at least one. Mini-miracles. Maybe a major miracle. Life-guiding lessons. Sometimes we miss them entirely. Luckily, there’ll be more. We’re all given opportunities to see beyond our ordinary vision. Every ordinary day we can see life with reverence and wonder.
I detour through the herb garden. There, with gratitude for simple pleasures, I pick sweet basil and oregano for our caprese salad.
When I arrive at our condo, I find Frank drizzling oil on the tomato and fresh mozzarella slices he’s already cut and arranged. I wash and add the basil and oregano leaves and we carry our plates out to the lanai. The overhead slowly spinning fan moves just enough air to complement the gulf breeze. Fragrance from three plumeria blossoms floating in a small glass bowl delights me. Before we eat, I savor and honor this sensually-sweet moment by imitating something my brother does. I snap a picture with my phone camera and declare the tabletop scene, my “photo of the day.”
About 10 years ago, my brother, Keith, started what he calls his “photo of the day practice.” One day he suddenly felt, for no apparent reason, a deep grief for the months and years of his life passed so far. So many moments. So many forgotten. He wondered how many were still ahead for him. It was not his birthday, nor had he experienced an accident or illness. His epiphany was not as much about facing his mortality as it was realizing that he has been taking his precious life for granted. He decided to change that. An idea came to him: every day he would take one photo in a purposeful way. He would pause, savor a moment, and honor it by capturing it. I was moved when he told me about this and took up the practice myself. We share photos at times. Some feature typical subjects - a stunning sunset, a flower in bloom, a pet at play. But many more depict the seemingly mundane moments of life. Keith’s include a sunny egg frying in a pan, a just-poured glass of beer, and water flowing from a shower head. It’s not about waiting for peak experiences; it’s about appreciating ordinary moments.
Of course, there really are no ordinary moments. They’re all magnificent. But we don’t usually see life this way unless some significant change shakes us up. This “photo of the day” practice helps perpetuate the experience of reverence. Cultivating the habit of watchfulness for simple-yet-sacred moments can lead us to see many more of them.
Today a few flower blossoms, fresh-picked herbs, and a gentle breeze comprise this magnificent moment for me.
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