by Tree on the Edge, via email
Near my home, there’s a small beach nestled between a sewage plant, active train track and industrial area. There was a very low tide, so my friends and I went for a visit to see if we could find any critters. It was a beautiful day with high, feathery clouds, warm sunshine and a gentle ocean breeze.
Families were visiting too; time for a walk on the mud to maybe get squirted by a buried clam. If you were to carefully turn over some rocks, you could spy a tiny crab, marine worm or even a bright orange sea cucumber. The volunteer docent said that there are more animals here now then there were 10 or even 20 years ago. Through numerous community restoration projects and Nature’s resilience, the animals are slowly coming back.
We walked back up to grass and settled under the shade of a large oak tree. I watched the white clouds drift by and thought to myself how Blessed we are. Then, before my eyes, some of the cloud’s color began to change… an edge was turning teal? I blinked. Is this real? Another moment went by, and the entire cloud was a “no doubt” glorious teal. It then morphed into a cool lemon yellow. Then one edge turned a rosebud pink. That is So Cool!
The teal cloud had dissipated by the time I remembered to fumble for my camera. But, my friend was seeing this too, and suggested that it looked like a daytime (around 1pm) Aurora Borealis.
Some gents resting near the oak were pointing and smiling. A lady sitting on an old drift log in front of us turned, and with a huge grin on her face, she thanked me for pointing it out. My scientific mind tried to come up with an explanation: well, clouds are basically water droplets, which refract the light into red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet…but, I’ve never seen teal in clouds or rainbows before.
I try to logically analyze everything. Why not just accept teal clouds for what they are?
… a gift of beauty.
Humans (speaking mostly for myself) have many issues to face, learn and acknowledge. I intend to learn my lessons, and I also intend to delight in – and acknowledge – the many gifts received along the way.
Thank You, Dear Gaia!