yeowch

Royal Botanic Gardens

A little orange butterfly allowed me to coax it onto my fingers at the Royal Botanical Gardens. I hardly dared to breathe as i let the fragile transient beauty ponder why this giant of a person was so taken with it. I fancy that it might've been thinking "surely there are prettier flowers or more impressive works of nature or lovely lakes to look at -but little old me? why would this giant alien be so interested?" -for i was. I didn't give up til it was perched on my forefinger, looking whimsical (the butterfly not me). If it was indeed pondering, that would explain why it rested for so long (a precious half minute). Well whatever it was thinking -if it was at all- my own thoughts were something like *wow.. this precious little creature trusts me finally.. I better make the most of this moment*

I can't help drawing comparisons between that experience and how God must handle us most of the time. We're transient as butterflies are we not? beautiful and precious because we're made in his likeness and just as flighty. Flitting here and there, rarely taking the time to stop and allow ourselves a ride on the fingers that spelled creation.. alienating the one who clasps us to his heart.
..today's quirky surprises didn't stop there..

As i continued thru the gardens, its sheer awesomeness overwhelmed me like a Wollemi Pine over a little leaf. Prior to this, I only walked the outskirts of it so this was a first timer. I quickly forsook the bio questions on plant life that was meant to be the aim of the excursion and jotted down some really priceless moments instead ie.
1) the butterfly 2) - a flying fox that was on a tree high above me happened to stretch itself just as i turned to gaze up at it and its innumerable cousins. It kept staring. and staring. and staring. It actually appeared to be thinking 'hello. what are you doing down there?' Alas! not even a few minutes had passed before it decided to give up thinking and made a little sleeping bag around itself instead. Echoing what i feel like doing right now:) It was the cutest little thing and i credit it for having some inquisitiveness.

3) a pidgeon drinking from a deep puddle. i wouldn't have given it a second thought had its manner of drinking not struck me so.. it was SO absorbed with drinking that about half its head was in the puddle! it was doing a simple something to keep alive and doing it well:D as such, the pidgeon makes an excellent point. 4) a seagull sitting with its mates. This snowy cushion of feathers looked so cozy with itself that i wondered if a hurricane might have even a mild effect on it. Sitting there looking so content i quickly made a little drawing. Another woman captured its quiet charm with her camera. So that's my day. Filled with anecdotes and images and all senses hospitably engaged.

Now to wrap up, I'll do it in a quote that really spoke to me tonight: "An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others." -A.W. Tozer .. thank you kindly; couldn't have put it better myself, the inspiration, behind what I hope to become. Which is a person who can share their love, time & energy with others -fully- as Jesus did and does still. I'm slowly getting there:)

posted by "/umin @ 4:28 PM