Tag: worry

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Brokenness contemplation De-stress Depression devotion devotional faith Finding God Fort Bragg Hope inner life Insight inspirational meditation Meditations on Mendocino by Sondra Sula Mendocino Motivational Nature Nature Photography northern California Problems reflection Reflections on the Fox River and Beyond by Sondra Sula Self-Acceptance Self-help Self-Improvement Solitude sondra sula Spirituality wisdom

Shelter In Place

wp265 01 20200305 magnolia 1Due to the COVID-19 virus, I am advised to “shelter in place,” only leaving our home for necessities, like toilet paper, which has been absent from market shelves for weeks now.

wp265 02 20200305 magnolia 2The magnolia is stuck in the same position as I am. It can’t go anywhere.

wp265 03 20200305 magnolia 3This particular magnolia lives tucked into a tiny corner—it can only branch out in one direction.

wp265 04 20200305 magnolia 4But it can bloom. Right where it is. Cramped in its tiny space.

wp265 05 20200305 magnolia 5A look into its center shows its surprising complexity—perhaps it’s time to delve inside my center. To discover what constitutes the seed of who I am.

wp265 06 20200305 magnolia 6To realize I am blooming today. Right now.

wp265 07 20200305 magnolia 7This way, come what may, I have no regrets.

Photos © Sondra Sula.

If you like these blogs, you’ll most likely enjoy my latest daily devotional book, Meditations on Mendocino by Sondra Sula. Available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle versions.

If you haven’t read Reflections on the Fox River and Beyond by Sondra Sula, another daily devotional, you may like that, as well.

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contemplation devotion Finding God Fort Bragg Imagination inner life inspirational meditation Meditations on Mendocino by Sondra Sula Mendocino Motivational Nature Nature Photography northern California reflection Self-Acceptance Self-help Self-Improvement Solitude sondra sula Spirituality Wonder

Tiny Bubbles Make Me Feel Fine

wp220 sea anemone lime 20190502_135935I know why aquariums give rise to relaxation—and it’s not just the tiny bubbles. Watching the undulating water tends to hypnotize one into a blissful, stress-free state. As I watched the lime tentacles of an anemone sway back and forth, all worry ceased.

wp220 sea urchin 20190502_135955A sea urchin cast an otherworldly purple haze. I fell under its spell.

wp220 2 ivory starfishTwo sea stars hugged the glass, their tiny suction cups moving to the beat of an unseen underwater band. I felt myself oscillating despite my feet being planted solidly on the floor.

wp220 sea anemone yellow 20190502_135946A pink-tipped sea anemone decked out in a textured turtleneck waved its arms to and fro to the rhythm.

wp220 snail 20190502_140148“Shall we dance?” a snail seemed to suggest.

wp220 sea anemone pink 20190502_140020“I don’t mind if I do,” I said, surprising myself. My feet came unglued and I did a little twirl. When I finished, I was face to face with another anemone. Its tentacles shimmied and shook, albeit in slow motion.

What had I been worried about? I couldn’t quite remember.

wp220 2 red urchin, inside starfish.pngI looked over at a red sea urchin. Its entire body was a series of exclamation points. I was reminded of the idea symbol—a light bulb with exclamatory lines emanating from it. The urchin confirmed my thought: wonder erases worry.

I bowed to the aquarium’s creatures. “Thank you, friends,” I said, “for lightening my load.” Did I hear: You’re welcome? I don’t know. It may have just been the tiny bubbles talking.

All photos © Sondra Sula.

My most recent daily devotional book, Meditations on Mendocino by Sondra Sula, is available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle versions. It is also sold at the Gallery Bookshop in Mendocino.