◾️ Return to The Japanese Garden

I could not end the year before a return to the garden to walk, think, and complete the circle.

A year ago I wrote this:

I made my long-standing visit to a beautiful and magical place today – a Japanese garden. It lays peace and calm upon me that lasted for an entire year.

My visits to the garden could be more frequent, I suppose. But I vowed to myself I wouldn’t wear out my welcome. Does familiarity really breed contempt? It could. I go when I need to, usually for specific healing. Then the healing effect is not diluted or spoiled or taken for granted.

Read the rest here.

Calm is not a place where there is no noise or activity. It is the ability to be in the midst of these, yet experiencing peace within.

My return to the garden

Again, I arrived at this place before it officially closed for the winter. I was busy for sure, but I could not miss leaving my footprints here once more.

Closing the circle

I launched my pilgrimage in Spain with a visit to this Japanese garden. My footprints marked many towns, hearts and minds across the country from Almeria to Santiago. Like life it proved to be a journey filled with joy and pain. And the memories continue to give me the encouragement to hold hope for the world and myself.

Let’s walk ahead to the end of my pilgrimage.

I’ve returned now to bask in gratitude and that hope.

This is the second year in a row that I am here during autumn. I do appreciate the changing colors of the leaves on the trees. I have to say though, that the summer is still my favorite time in the garden.

The inscription on the boulder is “Ageless Gate”. How appropriate!

This place is a magnificent example of the intentional design of a garden. These images are of some of my favorite spots to look and listen for the lessons that nature seeks to “plant” on me.

Ahhh!

Greetings from old friends

The braced trees returned to my mind many times when I was bandaging and ministering to the blisters on my feet. I am happy that they survived, like me, the very hot summer and are still standing on my return to the garden! If only they could tell their tale. If truth were to be told, the branch being supported by the brace looks like my “angry toes” here.

The koi fish pond is a fun place to wander. The fish sense footsteps on the pier and slyly check for any movement that signals food or snacks will be tossed in the water. Those rascals look fully fed to me!

Goodbye to everything and everybody, for now.

*translation from Japanese: See you next year in the garden.

______

Baadaye

Shirley J ❤️