Weekly Photo Challenge: Forces Of Nature

“Everything in Nature contains all the powers of Nature. Everything is made of hidden stuff” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Weekly Photo Challenge: Forces of Nature – Scenes from a Snowstorm

Weekly Photo Challenge: Forces of Nature – Snowstorm

There are unknown forces in nature; when we give ourselves wholly to her, without reserve, she lends them to us; she shows us these forms, which our watching eyes do not see, which our intelligence does not understand or suspect. Auguste Rodin

If you were paying attention during the last few months, you’d have read about the treacherous and unending snowstorms we experienced on the East Coast and in other parts of the USA. The brutal winter left many without electricity, water, and/or access to key services. The force of nature’s harsh hand forced many of us to contemplate why Mother Nature was so furious with us. What was she trying to tell us?

What lessons did we learn? As the snow pelted us day after day, I grew even more appreciative of the basics I, and others, take for granted; a roof over our heads, heat, water, food and the company of friends and family. When we experienced a water main break in our village, I was grateful for the dept of public works and our police dept for acting swiftly to contain the problem. Con-Ed jumped in to fix downed lines and fallen trees, and the supermarkets offered more discounts and extra treats when possible.

“The desire that guides me in all I do is the desire to harness the forces of nature to the service of mankind.” Nikola Tesla

Weekly Photo Challenge: Forces of Nature – Birds in a Snowstorm

The elements and majestic forces in nature, Lightning, Wind, Water, Fire, and Frost, were regarded with awe as spiritual powers, but always secondary and intermediate in character. Charles Eastman

As the weather worsened, the birds in my area became dependent on the food we put out for them. I knew that I had to keep up my part as nature battled other forces that kept access to seeds and other winter foods off their meal plan. The birds rewarded me with access to their finicky ways and a winter filled with colorful birds, bird chatter and blue jay/cardinal drama. The birds have plenty of options now so my feeder is a backup they visit once a day. During the winter, they camped out here…. I was reminded that we are all dependent on each other for sustenance.

Happy Mother’s Day Flower

Here’s wishing everyone a very Happy Mother’s Day! Ironically, today is the anniversary of my Father’s death and so as we celebrate life, let us send prayers and blessings to the deceased.

“The story of civilization is, in a sense, the story of engineering – that long and arduous struggle to make the forces of nature work for man’s good.” L. Sprague de Camp

Weekly Photo Challenge: Forces of Nature – Iciclestorm

The more a person learns how to use the forces of nature for his own purposes, by means of perfecting the sciences and the invention and improvement of machines, the more he will produce. Friedrich List

With the snowstorm came slippery ice and those dagger-like icicles that could impale you in a minute and put an end to life. I had a few bad colds but those icicles were a keen reminder that, but for divine grace and intervention, our situation could become perilous. I had my share of winter stress but I found that when I was less resistant to conditions, they worked out… My car died, my driveway was inaccessible for weeks, I lost power for a few hours, but all in all, I took time to nurture my body and mind and the colds gradually dissipated. Hippocrates, the great medical visionary, once said that “Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease.” Similarly, when we work with nature and live in harmony with her changing cycles, we find healing even in the rage of winter and other forces of nature.

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“In the world of words, the imagination is one of the forces of nature.” Wallace Stevens

Weekly Photo Challenge: Forces of Nature – Snowstorm

There are forces in nature called Love and Hate. The force of Love causes elements to be attracted to each other and to be built up into some particular form or person, and the force of Hate causes the decomposition of things. Empedocles 430 BC

Thankfully, life seems calmer now that we have entered the spring season. Our struggles are different. We have bugs and plant shoots to tend to and the rains will soon pick up speed. Hopefully, the floods of last season have abated and we can move on with enjoying some respite from bad weather conditions. Maybe we can kick back for a languid summer. The forces of nature are great teachers; they remind us to be compassionate with ourselves and others; they remind us to appreciate and love what we do have; they remind us that nature needs just as much love and if we continue to strip her of resources and treat all her children in nature harshly, we will pay a steep price in the years to come. Take care and enjoy the summer!

My fellow bloggers were equally creative with their selections. Check out how others interpreted the theme below.

This post was inspired by a prompt from WP Daily Post: Weekly Photo Challenge: FORCES of NATURE For This week,  share a force of nature from your corner of the world. It can be something as large as the Grand Canyon, or as small as the tiny seedling steadily breaking is way through the concrete in your driveway.

Positive Motivation Tip: In nature and within us are forces that hurt and heal, we must be vigilant to be part of the solution not the problem.

More Weekly Photo Challenge Posts

PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: Mother’s Day Flower card via Wikipedia. All Other Photos from my Personal Collection.

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet