Come Rain or Shine
My husband and I traveled to Oregon this past week. It was truly a much needed break from the non stop sun, no shade, tumbleweeds blowing red sand, dust and high desert. The fog and clouds were hanging low, the blossoms on the trees were vibrant, the grass was lush, wet, and a vibrant green. We stayed with my best friend and her small family in the suburbs of Vancouver, Washington. I took my shoes off and ran into her backyard and felt the grass between my toes. It was so lovely, a feeling I haven’t experienced in 3 years. We went hiking and the moss had taken over the trees, and any dormant or dead branches were full of life. How wonderful is it that nature finds a way bring life to anything that is dead. A friend of ours lives in Oregon and had said to us, “It rains all the time, it is depressing and awful.” I have taken those negative comments about a place lightly because yes, a place can feel dead, no life, depressing, but it is up to us to find life. There is a mattress on our property just behind our fence, tons of vodka bottles and if I looked hard enough I would probably find needles. As a young woman I don’t feel safe running where we live. So I have tried my hardest to find life in the desert, to find life where there doesn’t seem to be any. I went on a walk yesterday and I laughed at a tumble weed that flew by because I think they are so cute and I love them, and this morning I saw a tree with blossoms down the hill and there were little purple flowers popping up through the gravel in our front yard. I keep creating beauty and looking for it because it is all I know. When life is hard, I go look for something beautiful to try to learn from this temporary season, as each season has its challenges.
I could see how Oregon would feel dead in some aspects. It rains all the time to the point that you can’t see past the rain. But you can’t have lush green without a plethora of rain. I am slowly learning you have to go out in the rain, you have to go out in the snow, the hot sun, and there is still inspiration to be found. I promise you will not be disappointed. Logan and I woke up early to go watch the sunrise at Haystack Rock, however there was none. But we walked on the cold, rainy beach anyways. There were few crowds, and the tide was low. There was a truck parked there with volunteers who stood at the base of Haystack rock to protect the plethora of sea life that was exposed during low-tide. At first sight most photographers would have looked at the view and would have gone back to bed.
I am going to let you in on a secret. There is still life even when it looks like there isn’t. You can’t stand the rain, but wildlife has no choice. We walked up to the base of the large mystical rock standing out of the water, and all around us were these rocks covered in clams and barnacles and at the base were these BEAUTIFUL vibrant orange and purple starfish. I had never in my life seen a live starfish not in a zoo. It was so beautiful.
Bad weather, hard places, desert and harsh sun have taught me to get up, go outside in the harsh conditions and look for inspiration anyway. Up at the top of Haystack rock were small dots of orange, black and white. One of the conservation volunteers told me they were the Puffins. There used to be so many of them however and they are slowly declining because of climate change and their food source is dying, therefor the Puffins are starving year by year. She said it is like them eating rice cakes when they really need a hotdog.
Go outside, appreciate the life around you while it is here, come rain or shine.
