Whatever happened to the idea of conservation?

October is a time when autumn descends on the northern hemisphere, and flowers appear in the southern hemisphere. Many of the northern trees turn from green to shades of red, yellow, gold, and orange as depicted in this painting called Big Mountain Autumn.

          Autumn Maple
          By Al Vester
All gilded are the hills that autumn crowns
With maple trees and thistle down,
Where winds do softly toss and tease
The leaves turned bright by nightly freeze.
My heart and dreams are always found
On wooded hill near edge of town,
For this is where my soul’s at ease
‘Neath Douglas fir and maple trees.

When woodland thrills to autumn sounds
Of hunters and their baying hounds,
I love to lie among the leaves
Idly doing as I please.
Let others run and chase around
Searching for the joy I’ve found,
Brought every autumn by the breeze
‘Neath Douglas fir and maple trees.

Conservation

We live in a beautiful world that was created for our use, but also a world we should care for with wisdom and responsibility. In my youth the topic of conservation of resources was often discussed, which to my young mind meant that we should wisely use and not abuse this world in which we live.  Continue reading “Whatever happened to the idea of conservation?”

Extremists are not truly religious

Locate in the southern deserts of Utah are fantastic shapes carved in sandstone by wind, rain, and gravity. They consist of billions grains of sand cemented together in glowing shades of iron oxide. Their beauty teach us of the power of unity in a world trying to tear societies and families apart.

Delicate Arch painting
Delicate Arch painting by  Al Vester

    Brotherhood – By Al Vester

Each soul like a grain of sand
A fragment of a boundless land
Distinct, unique is every one
An each is God’s own precious son.
As each grain is bound by those above
So we are bound by those we love
For we are bathed in love that springs
From other souls by whom we are ringed

Extremism is now the forefront of many commentaries today and is often connected with one religion or another. But the extremist is not truly a religious person. Continue reading “Extremists are not truly religious”