Friday, March 25, 2011

Luv Clouds



I know Rumi is talking about God in the poem at the end of this post, but he might as well be talking about Washington DC at the height of cherry blossom season. The pear trees have also popped (see above). This city looks like the happy ending of a sweet fairy tale, oh yeah.

My first spring in DC was a revelation. I spent a lot of time standing underneath the fully blooming trees, trying as hard as I could to breathe in the pinkness, the whiteness. It was like standing beneath clouds of happiness and perfection. I wanted to take it all in at a very deep level.

When the blossoms flutter down, it's almost better, as if being gently kissed by pink snow.

Shouldn't say snow. Nope. Sorry.

Happy Friday. Shalom!!

You have no idea how hard I've looked
for a gift to bring You.
Nothing seemed right.
What's the point of bringing gold to
the gold mine, or water to the ocean.
...Everything I came up with was like
taking spices to the Orient.
It's no good giving my heart and my
soul because you already have these.
So I've brought you a mirror.
Look at yourself and remember me.

--Jalalud'din Rumi



Weeping cherry - so graceful, yes?

14 comments:

Lynne said...

Please don't say "snow" ! Your photos are so lovely. Thank you for bringing spring to me. Yesterday we had 3.5 inches of wet snow. :( We are in the season of Sprinter.

Keep those blossom pics coming!

The Bug said...

This morning Mike said our weather was going backward - and not on a pig! Lows in the 20s again for the next few days. Brrr. I can't see your pictures at work, but I'll be sure to check them out at home so I can enjoy some spring too!

Elizabeth said...

Yeah, yeah, yeah!
very pretty, Reya.
So happy for you
and so
ENVIOUS

Have a super weekend!

ellen abbott said...

oh. they are so beautiful. I wish we had cherries down here but I guess it gets too hot for them.

Reya Mellicker said...

Sprinter? Ha.

Dana that is so funny. lol.

Ellen I'm sure you could have cherries there - it gets wicked hot in DC. But they're Japanese trees, brought here as part of a diplomatic moment between the U.S. and Japan in the 20's so maybe no one in Texas has thought about planting any.

Linda Sue said...

Beautiful and thank you for the Rumi fix. Always right on target!

Meri said...

So beautiful -- Rumi and blossoms!

steven said...

your so beautiful pictures and words reya! rumi blooms words that fall to the soul like blossoms. steven

Pauline said...

Such beautiful blossoms - I like the idea of being kissed by pink snow. Thanks for the photos. It cheers me to know there is spring somewhere near!

California Girl said...

I planted a pear tree in front of our Richmond VA home and it was truly beautiful. It's still there, still blooming and you're making me miss the most beautiful Spring season, to be found in the lower Mid-Atlantic and Southern regions.

Dan Gurney said...

I would think Rumi's mirror, though it would be an ordinary reflective mirror in our hands, it would transform in God's hands becoming entirely transparent—an all-encompassing lens to help her see with loving eyes all creation.

Whitney Lee said...

We have the bradford pear trees all over the place here, and they are nearly at their peak. It's beautiful, but man do they stink!

Please don't give more power to the cold wet weather. They're now forecasting sleet here starting late tomorrow night. Ick.

Reya Mellicker said...

Pear trees stink? I had no idea! Wow.

Whitney, I have NO power over the weather. None whatsoever. I'm just superstitious!

Cheryl Cato said...

The blooming trees are beautiful as are the words of Rumi.