Forces of nature. It is such a beautiful day! Thank you God! The wind is blowing with power, cooling the somewhat humid day. The wind sends ripples through the water and breathes life into the surrounding trees. People walk by preoccupied, allowing not even a second to notice nature’s beauty. A gust of wind seems to try to grab the attention of these people. But, for some reason the powerful winds are not enough. What is God telling us? The wind seems to be more than fresh air…. maybe a message, or a few words. Times like this, make me realize how precious and sacred God’s creation is. "Now when I look up at swallows, wherever I happen to be, I can locate myself there and in a wider world. And I know the eternally renewable is close by, no matter how far I go." John Hay may be speaking of birds but his appreciation for nature is no different than that which I express for the trees and for the grass and all of God’s creatures. The grass seems to grow every which way and fallen leaves have appeared to have invaded it. These brown crisp leaves, which have been shed from the trees above, make evident the season of winter. The weather, though, anticipates the nearing of spring. The warm sun has just peeked out from a cloud above, but has again returned to its hiding. Is she playing hide-and-seek with me? Wow, another potent gust of wing has struck. God’s breath has come roaring down upon us, oooo it’s fresh and quite delightful. As I look up I notice that most of the trees are bare and their slender branches are exposed. They almost know that shade is not needed and can rest because God has provided cool, fresh weather for us. The water is brownish-greenish and fallen leaves have appeared to have landed in the water. They float in peace, though every once-in-a-while they seem to be disrupted by the wind. I am now laying down and all I see are bare branches, reaching out every which way. They sway to almost a musical beat of the wind. They are dancing! They exemplify such character and radiate a joy, a joy of being a unique part of nature. "Nature, if I may be allowed to personify the natural preservation or survival of the fittest, cares nothing for appearance, except in so far as they are useful to any being. She can act on every internal organ, on every shade of constitutional difference, on the whole machinery of life. Man selects only for his own good: Nature only for that of the being which she tends." Darwin appears to be stating that nature cares nothing for herself but exsists for man kind. I see nature very differently. Yes, God has blessed us with her, but we are to care and tend to the land. We to often abuse and mistreat her. I might be totally off, and probably am, with what he’s trying to convey, but that’s okay.