Instructions for living a life
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.
~ Mary Oliver, from the poem “Sometimes” in Red Bird
Do you see them?
I could only witness the little hearts formed by the curling stamens on these sunflower seedheads when I put my head at a particular angle. Otherwise, they vanished into the normal beauty of the sunflower in the process of making seeds — which isn’t bad. On the contrary, sunflowers doing their thing are a source of great joy for me at this time of the year.
Still, realizing there are hundreds of hearts within the ordinary beauty of this interaction was… pure magic.
It was almost as if I were wearing some of those decoder glasses that came in the cereal boxes way back when (have I just dated myself?), and suddenly all the world was flashing its message in a crystal clear way.
Finally and unequivocally revealed: the love that I feel lurks behind every natural phenomenon. Behind everything, actually.
The older I get, the more sure I am that Love is probably the baseline from which everything is created, or gets built, or arises, or comes into existence. Whatever you want to call it, really, I’m not fussed. And you certainly do not have to agree with me. It’s probably better if you don’t. Another’s answers are never equal to our own.
But I’d definitely suggest you pay attention — and be ready for wonder.
Namasté, y’all.
p.s. A little birdie (actually, it was a chickadee) told me that each of these tiny hearts is a personal message of love and peace to you, wherever you are now, whatever you’re doing, however you’re feeling about your life. Even if you can’t see them, I promise you those hearts are there, and they are for you.
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*sigh* wonderful mary oliver quote
brandi´s last blog ..ta-da!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Brandi. Mary Oliver rocks!
Meredith, I am totally charmed by the Mary Oliver quote — as well as the little hearts (which I would never have seen without your instruction).
Jean´s last blog ..The Late Summer Garden- GBBD- August 2010
Mary Oliver’s work continues to amaze me. And of course I’m thrilled that you could see the hearts with just a hint from me, Jean.
I love the thought of having my own little heart. Namasté, Meredith.
Lynn´s last blog ..Not in Macon anymore- fixed and shadow
Oh, dear Lynn, you have more than one.
This post is different
Yes hearts I did see
If I’d open my eyes
I might find love in me
The sunflowers hearts
Dearing the harsh winter
The birds they will feed
desk49´s last blog ..Missing- Short Story Page 1
What a wonderful comment, Ellis! You are so right about the birds being fed by the completed seedheads in winter — although we have attracted so many birds, they usually finish them off earlier than that.
There is love in you, I’m sure of it. Love is the energy that fuels every cell in your body, and holds all the atoms together. (My physicist husband will probably feel sick to his stomach when he reads that.
)
Lovely post and pic….
Thanks so much, Jenn!
That’s amazing. I see starbursts.
lisahoglden´s last blog ..Black Magpie Theory- Im Fixin to Fix These Elections
Ooooh, now I can see starbursts, too! Good eye, Lisa.
I never noticed sunflower hearts before, beautiful! The Mary Oliver quote is perfect too.
Curbstone Valley Farm´s last blog ..August Garden Update
Clare, they “normally” look like little figure 8s, from a perpendicular point of view. It was such a wonderful discovery.
And yes, I love that quote, too!
Whenever I am looking for Mary Oliver quotes, I see that one. I’ve just never found the right photo. Love your choice.
Elizabeth´s last blog ..ode to joy- volume 32
Oh, I’m so glad you approve, Elizabeth.
You’ll find the right one yet. Your photos and quotes are always such perfect, inspiring pairings.
Well, you certainly got me paying attention from that opening quote, Meredith. Such a great way of putting it, really.
It was almost as if I were wearing some of those decoder glasses that came in the cereal boxes way back when (have I just dated myself?), and suddenly all the world was flashing its message in a crystal clear way.
I laughed at that! You’re lucky you’re married, otherwise you might be dating yourself with comments like that… in more ways than one! I kid. I kid.
LOL, Tony, you charmer. Don’t try and turn my head with your flattery.
And Mary Oliver has an *amazing* way of putting things. If you haven’t come across her work before, you are in for a treat.
Love it, Meredith. Definitely words I live by
Talon´s last blog ..Little things
Somehow I knew that you already did, Talon.
Be ready for wonder! I love that.
The older I get, and the more I know, the more amazed I am by the things I’ve never noticed!
The Idiot Gardener´s last blog ..Taller than the tallest tree
Oh, I’m so glad you liked it, IG.
The last line of your comment made me pause and think for a moment. Strangely, I do think my capacity for wonder might be growing as I age. Seems like it would be the opposite, somehow… thank goodness it’s not!
I love the sentiment expressed in your last sentence.
Jennifer´s last blog ..Welcome to FeedBurner
I’m glad, Jennifer.
As soon as I saw the post title, I had to read this, and I wasn’t disappointed. (I love Mary Oliver, too!) I love the idea of the little hearts in the sunflower–sort of a secret message of love from the universe. Only someone paying attention would have noticed this. You’ve given me an idea…let’s see if I can bring it to fruition.
Kathy´s last blog ..Waiting
Kathy, of course you love Mary Oliver, too. Duh. Are we, like, twin sisters separated at birth?
(I kid — but only partly. We seem to have so much in common!)
The universe is full of these kinds of message. We’re just so used to living in our heads all the time and taking things for granted and performing our lives in a rote series of conditioned tasks that equal our roles.
May your idea spark have enough juice in it to see you to the end of the process of making your vision real.
dang, I need some of whatever your having.
jess´s last blog ..Results Of Being Lazy
LOL, Jess.
Meredith,
I like this shortest self help manual, sweet and to the point. I really like your site here and I am glad you came to visit my blog so I can find yours!
Loved the comment you left on enlightenment post! Happy to know your blog. Now I am a subscriber.
Preeti @ Heart and Mind´s last blog ..Enlightment- An Awareness and Understanding
Preeti, thank you so much for commenting — and for subscribing! I’m glad you enjoyed the “world’s shortest self-help manual.” I thought Ms. Oliver’s poem was pretty useful advice, myself.
I love sunflowers! We have one growing in our garden, it’s almost ready to bloom but we had a windy rainstorm yesterday and it sorta toppled over. Not sure if it’ll bloom now.
I saw your question on my blog regarding the snow peas. I didn’t even bother sowing the seeds until last week, the weather dropped to 79 degrees! It was in the 90s the week before. So I put the seeds in pots and with the perfect cool temperature, the seeds germinated right away!
The seeds I bought were “Melting Sugar Snow Peas” from Ferry Morse.
meemsnyc´s last blog ..The award for the slowest plant in the garden
Meems, if it’s close to blooming, you can do what I do with the toppled-over ones, and cut the flowers for indoor bouquets. My last few have just finished blooming this way in the kitchen window. Yes, they’re short-lived and don’t make seeds. But then the flowers aren’t lost to the mud…
That’s so awesome about your weather! We’re back up in the 90s again tomorrow, with lows around your high temperature! I may try and germinate in a cool spot indoors, to be ready for autumn when it comes.
Dear Meredith…I’ve been taking so many photos of sunflowers since mine started blooming, how did I miss the tiny hearts? At one point the dark loopy edges reminded me of tatting on a handkerchief. Now I must go out and search for sunflower hearts.
Wonderful post! Have a charmed day!
Teresa O´s last blog ..Toad Abode
Teresa, I don’t know how I missed them until now, either. Maybe it’s just that everything reveals itself at the perfect time?
Tatting… I’m tilting my head trying to see it. I once tried to learn that skill, but was shocked by the eyesight and level of fine motor skill involved. So glad you enjoyed the post. I love how you wish me a “charmed day.”
Meredith — At first, I couldn’t see the hearts and then I did. They are wonderful. This is one thing I love about photography. It teaches you to look beyond what’s on the surface and see the little details that Nature gives as gifts for those willing to take the time to look. I’m pleased you “looked” and reminded me to look more closely, as well.
Thanks:~)
Sara´s last blog ..Story Photo- Building Castles
I think they are almost like optical illusions, Sara. Even now I can look at the photo and not see them at first… amazing. Now if only I can learn to look beyond on every level of life, especially when dealing with my fellow human beings, I’ll be *set*!
Those little hearts are magnificent. The piece you wrote is beautiful. You have a gift.
Now…I’m going out to look at the hearts in my own sunflowers.
kd
k d mccrite´s last blog ..Grover and Melly Go For It
Oh, wow, kd. Your comment has made my night! Thank you.
Absolutely true! Wonder is all around us, if we only stop to see. Thanks for sharing the lovely hearts-filled sunflower!
debsgarden´s last blog ..A Talavera Lizard and Voodoo Pot
Deb, you strike me as one who “stops to see.”
Glad you enjoyed the sunflower!
I think being astonished is hard for some people on the grind. Those who are doing there best to make it big and achieve great things. I do agree that we are all astonished at times. A talented kid for example or a dog that can jump though fire when mines, just sits on the couch all say and watches soaps all day. Its great to see the world as an amazement. But as a person who is goal orientated so much, i find it hard to just be astonished all the time. I guess because I’m always working and reading and writing and dating. But i am grateful for what i have all the time…is that another form of astonishment?
Jonathan, I agree that being “on the grind” can take away our capacity for astonishment — but that mere phrase shows the attitude behind one’s daily life. If life itself has become a chore, I wonder what is the point? Trudging around with our heads down, just because we are so busy and harried, we will miss out on wonder every time, sadly. Not because astonishment is lacking, but because we do not see what is there in front of us.
Pay attention, indeed.
You say you are goal-oriented. I would ask, are you missing the present while you work so hard for a mental future? How strange we humans are sometimes, to rush and work and try to get “somewhere” — and miss the only life we can actually experience, which is here and now.
Lovely. Thank you for the hearts and love.
Susan Tiner´s last blog ..9 Bells Jingling and Ringing
You’re welcome, Susan.
Hi Meredith
Be astonished sounds easy but gets more difficult as you get older.
When I was a child everything astonished me… a ride on a train, a walk in the snow and the excitement of Christmas blew me away.
Not many things astonish me now but enough to still make life interesting.
Keith Davis´s last blog ..A splash of colour
Keith, it is only as difficult as we make it. Those things that inspired wonder in you as a child might still be able to arouse your curiosity and admiration and even evoke astonishment today — if you pay attention to them again. I think the difficulty arises in adulthood because we are stuck in our heads.
On that train ride, which might still amaze me with scalloped powerlines swooping past and the green fields flying by and the lady in the strange hat across the aisle and the weird texture of the industrial fabric under my body, I am usually too busy worrying about whether I remembered to pay the power bill, and whether I should urge my mother to go see the doctor posthaste, and that funny thing my boss said that sounded vaguely threatening, adding items to a mental to-do list that exists on an infinity loop. No, it is not life that loses its astonishing qualities, but my distancing myself from life… and fortunately, that is a choice.