One
of the defining characteristics of a temperate rainforest is the fact
that some organisms (like this moss-covered Bigtooth Maple) serve as a nourishing platform for other organisms (like this fern) to flourish. This quality
can remind us that one of the defining characteristics of a spiritual
life is the realization that selfhood is not identified merely with the
individual. Rather, the self is part of a
larger web. In other words, we are not meant to live merely for
ourselves, our family, our race, our nation, or our species. Instead,
we are designed to serve as a stable, nourishing platform on which an expanding
network of other beings (including humans) can flourish. Ultimately, we
are the means by which the Cosmos - along with God and Mother Earth -
can know and appreciate its own amazing beauty.
Photo: Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park, WA; July 26, 2013
Photo: Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park, WA; July 26, 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment