Category Archives: Nature

Japan, Motivation, Nature

How short, this life?

Around this time of the year people all over Japan are on the lookout for the sakura cherry blossom which comes into full bloom between the end of March and the very beginning of May, depending on where you live*. The celebration, called hanami written using the characters for “flower” (花) and “watch” (見) involves groups of family, friends and colleagues gathering together under their favourite tree to enjoy meticulously prepared food and (more than) a few drinks.

What surprised me the first time I experienced  the cherry blossom in Japan was how soon after coming into full bloom did the petals of these delicate flowers come fluttering to the ground like confetti at a wedding. It is for this reason that hanami is so hard-wired into the psyche of the Japanese; it marks not only the beginning of the new year for schools and companies but also serves as a reminder of the fragility and fleeting nature of life itself.

There has been plenty put out there about how much time over the course of a typical life we spend working, sleeping, eating, washing up, cleaning or even on the toilet.  However, I came across a graphic on a website called WaitButWhy which represents a 90-year life as a series of weekly blocks. There’s not that many of them – 4,680 to be precise.

I have had times in my life when I have been looking forward to something in the future or longing to get over something unpleasant in the present. The weeks have disappeared, sometimes turning into months.  How often have you said to yourself “I wish this week would pass more quickly” or “I’ll just get this month out of the way and then I’ll…” or something similar?

As I finished the first paragraph of today’s post, I received a telephone call from the son of a dear friend of ours who has been in hospital recently. It was not good news; he had passed away after 92 years on this planet, that’s 4,784 blocks. Listening to some of his stories, he made the most of his life and the time he was given. None of us really knows how many blocks we will be blessed with, so make each one count.

I know that I’m going to.

*****

*You can plot the progress of the sakurazensen cherry blossom front on the Japan National Tourism Organization website

 

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Nature, Photography

Up close and personal

I recently found an old Canon camera lens my late grandpa used in the 1980s. It was a pretty decent one by all accounts – or at least that’s what my online search told me – so I thought I would buy an adapter ring and try it out on my Nikon DSLR. What I didn’t know was that to use the lens properly I needed to have purchased a higher-end adapter with a built in correction lens. I could, however, use it for macro shots which led to some surprisingly good results.

Through being forced to look at the world in extreme close up, I gained a different perspective. The picture above resembles a Japanese pine tree clinging on by its roots to the edge of a cliff as the sea crashes into the rocks below. The plants in the picture are actually weeds: petty spurge, moss on a brick and purple-leaved oxalis corniculata in the background. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have given it a second thought before ripping them out of the ground but thanks to an inherited lens and an under-researched purchase I was able to capture this delightful scene.

It’s the same in our lives. Too often we tread a familiar path, stick to a routine, pass by without noticing and in doing so miss out on small moments of beauty that make it all worthwhile. I’m not saying go out and buy a camera and an old lens. Just try looking at something or someone from a new angle or with a different focal length.

You might be surprised with what you discover.

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Nature, Photography, Relaxation

Spring is on its way!

So, I’m in my forties and this is my first blog post. Shame on me…

That’s not to say that I haven’t been writing – it takes up more of my spare time than I would care to admit – just moving my writing online is something that has taken me a while to convince myself to do.

Today at 1615 was the Vernal (or Spring) Equinox , hard to believe with some patches of snow still on the ground, stubbornly hanging around as a reminder that it’s not yet time to put away the heavy coats, hats and gloves. The picture accompanying this post was taken before the most recent cold snap but the hint of warmth from the sunshine partially obscured by the branches of the tree in the foreground felt very Spring-like to me which is why I am sharing it with you now. It also makes a change from the daffodils that are the image of choice for this season.

After I took this picture, I closed my eyes and stood still for probably no more than a minute, filling my lungs with the cold and fresh air, enjoying the subtle warmth of the sun on my skin. Despite new technology making us more productive, I have never felt so rushed off my feet. It is these little moments that are worth grabbing and holding onto.

Through my posts here, I want to share with you the joy that the simplest things can bring to our lives. I hope you enjoy reading about them.

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