A Fountain of Gladness

“How truly is a kind heart a fountain of gladness,

making everything in its vicinity freshen into smiles.”

Washington Irving

Be kind, nurture peace, cultivate loving kindness, and carry the calm.

Today’s pictures are from Japan, where I spent the past week. If you’d like to see more of my photos from Japan, please follow me on my Facebook author page, where I’ll be posting a picture or two each day for the next few weeks.

Nature of the week – flowers at the harbor in Yokohama, Japan:

Shadow of the Week – a reflection on a rainy sidewalk in Yokohama:

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For my posts on life, faith, and the mystery we call God, link here.

Simple and Real

Four Simple Guidelines to Live By

Posted by karynhenleyauthor

“Be good, keep your feet dry, your eyes open, your heart at peace.”

– Thomas Merton –

Nurture peace, cultivate loving kindness, and carry the calm.

Nature of the week:

Shadow of the Week:

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For my posts on life, faith, and the mystery we call God, link here.

Laughing in the Colors of Spring

Posted by karynhenleyauthor

“Earth laughs in flowers.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson –

Wishing you earth’s laughter this week!

Nurture peace, cultivate loving kindness, and carry the calm.

Nature of the week:

Shadow of the Week:

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For my posts on life, faith, and the mystery we call God, link here.

Simple and Real

Posted by karynhenleyauthor

“It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.”

– Laura Ingalls Wilder –

Nurture peace, cultivate loving kindness, and carry the calm.

Nature of the week – fragrant nanohana blossoms in Japan (canola flower in English):

Shadow of the Week – tree shadow at dawn on rice paper doors where I stayed in Japan last week :

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For my posts on life, faith, and the mystery we call God, link here.

Colors of the Spirit

Posted by karynhenleyauthor

“Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.”

– Emerson, “Nature” –

The word nature comes from the Latin nasci, which means “to be born.” Leaves are peeking out and stretching, buds are opening – must be the earth’s birthday. Enjoy!

Nurture peace, cultivate loving-kindness, and carry the calm.

Nature of the week – a redbud blossoming all along its branches:

This week, a double shadow:

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For my posts on life, faith, and the mystery we call God, link here.

Joy, Resting

Posted by karynhenleyauthor

“Peace is joy at rest and joy is peace on its feet.”

– Anne Lamott –

May your peace find its feet. Nurture peace, cultivate loving kindness, and carry the calm.

Nature of the week – our weekend snow:

Shadow of the Week:

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For my posts on life, faith, and the mystery we call God, link here.

What Have You Missed Until Today?

What Have You Missed Until Today?

Posted by karynhenleyauthor

“The eye is the best of artists.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Nature” –

In their book Living the Questions, David Felton and Jeff Procter-Murphy say that poet William Carlos Williams “used to carry a notepad around with him in which he listed ‘Things I noticed today that I’ve missed until today.'” With your eye as the artist, notice something beautiful today that you’ve missed until now.

Nurture peace, cultivate loving kindness, and carry the calm.

Nature of the week – paperbark:

Shadow of the Week:

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For my posts on life, faith, and the mystery we call God, link here. karynhenley.com

What is Our Task? Any Small, Calm Thing

Posted by karynhenleyauthor

“Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach. Any small, calm thing that one soul can do to help another soul, to assist some portion of this poor suffering world, will help immensely.” – poet Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Nurture peace, cultivate loving kindness, and carry the calm.

Nature of the week: