Mountain range in the distance with barren aspen trees in the foreground

This morning I drove back to Kenosha Pass. We drove through there last week on our way to Telluride and I caught only a quick glimpse because I was working on my laptop. I was stunned at how quickly things could change in just one week. The aspen trees had completely shed their leaves. What was a field of blazing yellow and orange eight days ago now looked completely stark by contrast. It served as a great visual reminder of how precious time is and how important it is to savor things in the moment. Carpe diem, indeed. We were so fortunate to have been driving through that area when we did. I think we hit it at the perfect time.

Once I got over the shock of the difference in the landscape, I decided to head out for a hike on the Colorado Trail anyway. I found a beautiful spot to sit and meditate with a gorgeous view of the mountains. It was an amazing natural temple (picture below -- at least one other person agrees) in which to practice this special ritual of mine. As I sat and meditated I allowed the thought of how timeless those mountains in the distance (picture above) seemed to be. And yet, this is not the first incarnation of the Rocky Mountain range. It, too, shall pass.

Rocky outcropping with a memorial to a departed pet

So, here I had two extreme examples (and a third somewhere in the middle) of the time scale on which Nature can operate. It kind of makes one think about how one's life plays into the grand scheme of things. I guess I've got a bit of work left to develop the proper perspective on things.

I give thanks to the Universe for the abundance you provide me. I surrender and am open and ready to receive.