Into The Lap of God

On one pivotal day in the mountains I found my path on a fabulous scenic drive up, up, up into the mountainous quilt of color and onto the ridge tops. For as much as six hours (on this fifth day of such beauty) my mind was flooded with stunning scenery. I became emotionally ecstatic. Every nook and cranny of my mind felt ablaze with awe at the perfect symphony of nature. I discovered I was grinning and that I was using facial muscles that I don’t normally use to smile. This smile was a different shape! My refreshed mind was literally expressing itself through my body, immediately.

In that moment it became clear to me that our mind is a creative organ that is shaped by the input it receives and that in turn shapes our lens on life.  It determines the way we respond to life, and thus the way life responds to us. I’ve ‘known’ this for a long time, of course, but this day I knew it for a physical fact. And that fact made another thought clear: Artists are essential to society. They capture and share moments that remind us that light, harmony, and grace is in constant flux around us. Essential art brings us hope, rest, reflection, refreshment, and inspiration. This day’s experience also demonstrated that beauty (or any activity that generates a moment of inspiration) can have a cumulative effect.