Ken W

“The eastern sky was red as coals in a forge, lighting up the flats along the river. Dew had wet the million needles of the chaparral, and when the rim of the sun edged over the horizon the chaparral seemed to be spotted with diamonds. A bush in the backyard was filled with little rainbows as the sun touched the dew.
It was tribute enough to sunup that it could make even chaparral bushes look beautiful, Augustus thought, and he watched the process happily, knowing it would only last a few minutes. The sun spread reddish-gold light through the shining bushes, among which a few goats wandered, bleating. Even when the sun rose above the low bluffs to the south, a layer of light lingered for a bit at the level of the chaparral, as if independent of its source. The the sun lifted clear, like an immense coin. The dew quickly died, and the light that filled the bushes like red dirt dispersed, leaving clear, slightly bluish air.
It was good reading light by then, so Augustus applied himself for a few minutes to the Prophets. He was not overly religious, but he did consider himself a fair prophet and liked to study the styles of his predecessors. They were mostly too long-winded, in his view, and he made no effort to read them verse for verse—he just had a look here and there, while the biscuits were browning.”
― Larry McMurtry, Lonesome Dove

“THE FIVE CONTEMPLATIONS 1.​This food is a gift of the Earth, the sky, numerous living beings, and much hard and loving work. 2.​May we eat with mindfulness and gratitude so as to be worthy to receive this food. 3.​May we recognize and transform unwholesome mental formations, especially our greed, and learn to eat with moderation. 4.​May we keep our compassion alive by eating in such a way that reduces the suffering of living beings, stops contributing to climate change, and heals and preserves our precious planet. 5.​We accept this food so that we may nurture our brotherhood and sisterhood, build our community, and nourish our ideal of serving all living beings.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, How to Eat

“Be curious. Welcome groundlessness. Lighten up and relax. Offer chaos a cup of tea.”
― Pema Chödrön, When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times