spiritual guides

after writing about bonsai. i realized that my description of them was pretty good metaphor for spiritual truth.
there are many little steps and tiny cuts on life's path to inner peace. true care and cultivation and appreciation
are a daily practice which is never-ending.... so too, is the way to live with faith. good practice and love are necessary
elements in our lives. we thrive on gentle thoughts and deeds. the gift rewards both the giver and the recipient.
the love and attention that we give to our own family is so like the the following of a little tree. all are present in our
lives to remind us to live with no expectations. we will find our way through every twist and turn and broken branch.
the process of our lives continues, whether we reach a goal or not.  failure and heartbreak are part of the whole,
but with mindful and loving care,  we can turn each problem towards another solution.... take what we can,
and prune the rest,  or proceed in an entirely new direction....life goes on.

cultivation of time and patience was my way into a faith in the future. the earth heals and re-heals herself
constantly, with every growing life following in turn through the seasons. our lives unfold like any other
changing,  living thing.  let the past fall away,  tend  your garden in  present time, and keep good
thoughts about the road ahead. just like a little tree, many changes will come, and add to the beauty of it all.

on the other hand, when darkness descends and we live in shadow, it is hard to see any beauty around you.
in these times, keeping to the practice of attention to our loved ones, in every form,  heals and tends to the 
inner self as well.
it is at this point  where faith in life can pull you through back into Light.....  and hold you there.