Connections

Connections

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Life at a Snails Pace



Sometimes life does seem to go at a snails pace and it has felt that way for some time. Interesting how the spiral on a snails home is going up ~ a great reminder that I don't need to continue on the previous months downward spiral.. lost to negativity. That direction doesn't seem to work however there is one positive aspect to being in the dulldrums of life .. when it shifts it has a significant positive impact.

I have to say that I am so extremely grateful to have a love of nature and even the most ordinary or slow creatures can give me so much. I spent over an hour just taking photo after photo of this beautiful creature
this past week. I was fascinated with the texture of his  very long slender body. I watched in amazement as it's eye looking attennae would protrude out to search the expanse of the universe that lay before it. And at other times it would completely hide them inside .. so as not to be certain which end was the front. There was the added satisfaction of finding it on a plastic sheeting that I used to rust some large fabrics.. the rust had stained the plastic making it a rich colorful background for the snail.  How I delight in the patterns that mother nature provides ... so many are simply exquisitely beautiful.

The shift from my downward spiral has taken me to complete gratitude. I have a list that is so long for why I am so grateful at this time. I think for the first time in my life I understand why it is important to ask for the things that you want. Oddly enough many of those things are just there for the asking. I think being clear about what you want is very important. I was reading on Jude Hill's blog about her questions regarding want and need of dyed cloth. It is good to question these things. I believe that needs sustain us and wants give us more of the joy. Certainly we don't always get what we want but often I have not asked for something that I wanted because I already felt that I didnt deserve it... for a variety of reasons. But this past week or so I have been so blessed in so many ways that it just seems to be blazed in my brain .. that I must ask for what I want..... in a literal sense and a prayerful spiritual sense. It makes me think about how empty my life could be if I never asked. There are still so many things for me to learn from these recent revelations about asking. About wants and needs. Nature has a way of giving me so many of these lessons. I am almost urged to remind anyone that may read this .. to slow down to snails pace and see what is right there making itself present in your life. They come and they go and sometimes if we are still enough to look and watch there is something wonderful to see or experience .. I am grateful for time, silence, and gifts by man and nature. Thank you from my heart .. from the deepest parts of me. .... thank you.

12 comments:

  1. i am a snail, but i must say, this one is a beauty! great pictures. and thoughts.

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  2. Thank you for this. It touched me deeply and left me with the smile I had misplaced in recent days.

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  3. I am so pleased that you stopped over Jude and I know you are a snail .. you take everything deliberately slow which I love!! But thanks for looking at this snail!!! Yayyyyy!!! and Carolyn .. I am so glad that this has meant something to you .. I am so happy to have this shift ... snails help!!

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  4. Tammy these photos are exquisite! And the words...so meaningful. Thank you.

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  5. Thank you Nancy for telling me .. its wonderfully validating.

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  6. your photos are magnificent. i am lucky to have what i need and always put out into the universe what i want. wonderful post.

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  7. Thanks Deanna .... it is a nice place to feel happy .. thats a great want to have !!!

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  8. tammy...once again, you are a photographer
    supreme when it comes to detail of small beings
    these are the BEST photographs i've ever seen.
    so, again, i would encourage you to contact
    who you can find re: freelancing them to nature
    magazines. i don't know anything about that
    but only that it's a profession...

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  9. tammy!!! i have not been following many blogs recently and i have forgotten names...but NOW!!! i know who you are! i used to come here so often and i have loved your blog and all your wonderful entries... oh i am so happy to know you are the same tammy over at judes! it all makes sense now! see you again or a bientot! as the french say!

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  10. Lovely and true...both thoughts and photos.

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  11. Grace .. thank you .. I find that the creatures that I come into contact with have something they need to tell me .. photographing them gives me a visual reminder of that and they are such a gift to me that I am in awe.. that is what I hope to express in the photos. Thanks for noticing!! ANd Nandas.. I think the one thing that I love about typepad is the ability to be able to reply to individual posts and I am so honored to know that you come over to my blog and that now you know who I am !!! yay!!!!I am so happy to be a part of Magic Diaries!! and Deb G thank you .. please come again!!!

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  12. Tammy- I checked out this book from the library today and thought of your beautiful photographs!
    "The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating" by Elisabeth Tova Bailey
    Thought you may want to check it out!

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