‘I’m sitting in the warm afternoon sun on my dock, and I am delighted to witness my private show of dancing ‘lake diamonds’ that sparkle brightly across the wavy blue waters of my lake.’
As long as I can remember I have been drawn to things that sparkle! The natural things that sparkle are very special to me here, which is not surprising because I have always had a fondness for the things that sparkle in my like, and that would always include, since I was even a very little girl, the man-made things as well, such as jewellery and or natural gems and stones. Things that sparkle just give me a feeling inside that brings me joy, and brightens my world.
Out in nature at my little cabin retreat, I look around in any direction on a sunny day and see so many wonderful natural things that sparkle. The beautiful light of the summer sunlight catches every surface and every leaf, and delightfully lights up the waters of the lake. Water diamonds, are one of my most favourite things about being at the lake. I can sit on my dock in the afternoon sun and just watch them dance and sparkle and be filled with delight. (apparently, you think to yourself, I am easily amused!)
After a summer rain, I can delight in the tiny droplets of water that hang off every surface and every rock, every tree, and every leaf of the lush, green forest foliage. When the sun bursts forth these like tiny water attachments sparkle like Nature’s perfectly-shaped diamond drop earrings.
I also love and appreciate the patterns formed when I am mesmerized by the rolling curls of a boat wake as it catches the beams of light, curling along the surface outwards from the boat, and parting into two straight rolling lines of white-tipped bubbling waters. Soft yellow waves of Jello-light wiggle across the black waters under a full moon. Gently weaving light sparkles along the channel of light towards me on clear, moonlit night. A full moon has always been a favourite time to be in residence at the cabin, because it is breathtaking to see it directly in front of my cabin, passing slowly across the night sky. Full moon nights are incredibly brightly lit, highlighting the rolling lay of the surrounding lands, and silhouetting the forest trees. On warm summer days I venture into the forest and look around me to appreciate the silvery, strands of amazing cobwebs that gently blow in the warm, summer breezes still attached to bushes and leaves. The sunlight catches on the webs as they softly swing to and fro, and they glisten and sparkle in silvery tones. Sometimes, I just sit down on a mossy log, and watch how the webs bend and bow in the center in the summer breezes, but still manage to always stay fully attached to the trees and bushes. These tiny structures of genius appear to be so strong, yet I know they still are so delicate.
In front of my cottage in the early morning sun, the sunlight reflects off the shallow pond area up into the branches and leaves of my nearby tree, a view I cherish here from my bed as I sip my morning cup of brew. The dancing sparkles created by water illuminated up to the knarly tree bark are similar to the light rays generated by a mirrored disco ball as it rotate on walls of a room filled with music, dancing and laughter!
I can always admire around the water’s edge, the direct and filtering sunlight playing off the many leaves and bushes. The leaves seem to shine back at me. In this local climate, we are rich in foliage with many bushes and trees, and by my cottage I find the elegant Arbutus trees that wear delightfully shiny leaves, and a smooth reddish bark. Arbutus leaves bounce off more light than the foliage of the cedars, firs, hemlocks and pines. Down south in more desert climates I enjoy the same phenomenon with the tall stately palm trees. My favourite are the dancing sunlight from the hot desert sun reflecting and shining off the long, waving palm fronds. I have captured these gleaming monster-sized waving leaves with my camera.
There are many other things that will shine and sparkle with the warmth and glow of the sun, both man-made and natural. I revel in it, hunt for it, and truly appreciate it. I even placed a spinner on my deck and the wind rotates it and spins two crystals that bring me joy in the afternoon sun.
My little hummingbirds have delightful, iridescent feathers in greens and shine brightly as they perch on a tree branch for me to admire them.
My damsel flies and dragonflies flitter and float all around the forest and near my docks. I love to see the shine of their shiny paper-thin, perfectly shaped wings, as they flutter and drift, or land near me.
I found the gleam of sunlight as it bounced off the polished wood of a canoe, and the wet shine of the many droplets of water that slipped off my kayak paddle as it came out of the water. Although I no longer water ski behind the boat, I also remember the water shining from the lake surface stirred up by the waves, and many a time I had to squint my eyes trying to see. My cottage, the forest, the water around me, the animals, faces of family and loved ones, all often have a sense of sparkle and shine to me. The sunlight brightens and heightens everything here. Take a moment yourself to look around, wherever you are, find the light and sparkles in your surroundings, I’ll bet you will notice that sense of joy and delight you experience, you only have to take a mindful moment to recognize and appreciate it.