Welcome! I am a contemplative thinker and photographer from Colorado. In this blog, you'll discover photographs that I've taken on my hiking and backpacking trips, mostly in the American West. I've paired these with my favorite inspirational and philosophical quotes - literary passages that emphasize the innate spirituality of the natural world. I hope you enjoy them!

If you'd like to purchase photo-quote greeting cards, please go to www.NaturePhoto-QuoteCards.com .


In the Spirit of Wildness,

Stephen Hatch
Fort Collins, Colorado

P.S. There's a label index at the bottom of the blog.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

The challenges of life are buds that enclose God-in-hiding.


A contemplative perspective views every creature, person and event as a place of encounter with the indwelling God.  Some of these manifest the divine Beloved in full-flower.  This is true especially of joyful experiences, meaningful friendships and enlivening insights.  Other aspects of our lives - especially sufferings, difficult interpersonal interactions, and life-challenges - may be seen as buds that enclose a God who is still in hiding; God asleep, as it were.  Spiritual practice teaches us to employ the penetrative eye of faith, hope and love to see clear THROUGH these challenges in order to awaken the Beloved who dwells deep within them.  This practice of "seeing God in all things" is, in fact, our major life-task.

Photo: Bluebells, Reservoir Ridge Natural Area; Larimer County, CO; April 19, 2014

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