Does this work? I write the question at the top of my empty journal page. The answer follows effortlessly – It all works. Sitting on a bench beside the tranquil waters of a pond. Mountains reflected on their surface. A duck floating along the water. Sounds of the mountain town of Canmore all around. Life is full of wonder and awe.

High above, a periwinkle blue sky dotted with cotton candy clouds stretches out like a dreamy watercolour landscape, white clouds blending seamlessly into sky, mountains soaring tall and proud, their peaks piercing the sky like spears of stone.

In the midst of this tranquil moment, my thoughts drift through my mind like the clouds floating by above me. I am witness to the beauty of this earth and still, thoughts of the impact of our human actions on earth’s delicate ecosystem darken the edges. In standing so tall and proud, have the jagged peaks of these mountains inadvertently contributed to the holes in the ozone layer, I wonder? Does Mother Nature mourn the damage we humans inflict upon her intricate tapestry of life on earth, day after day? Or, like her mountain guardians, does she steadfastly weave a blanket of healing in her endless quest to stitch earth back together, despite our efforts to keep taking her creations undone?

My pen stills upon the journal page. I stop and take a breath, inhaling all the beauty that surrounds me. The warm mountain air against my skin. The gentle breeze caressing my hair. The still waters of the pond and the solid earth beneath my feet.

Breathing out, I whisper a silent prayer of gratitude for this present moment. This quiet interlude in a day that will witness the binding together of two people in Love. A day that holds promise, possibility and the potential for so much joy, laughter, happiness and wedded bliss.

Moments like these are meant to be lived through with an open heart, an open mind, and a sense of openness to the world around us.

I inhale once more, an overwhelming sense of joy embraces my entire being. Exhale. The world seems to breathe in harmony with my presence.

In that fleeting moment, peace envelopes me, assuring me that all is well with my soul.

I breathe in again, the moment passes like the river flowing into the pound. In. Out. Continuing on.

And stil, the moment lingers, A gentle reminder of the beauty and wonder that coexist with the dark and threatening in this world.

I cannot change the darkness in this world, but I can be a beacon of hope in its midst.

I can choose to share kindness, spread joy, love and compassion wherever I go.

And who knows? Perhaps my light will inspire others to shine their own until, together, our light shines so bright, the darkness recedes and the world is illuminated in the human magnificence of our lights shining bright.

Yes. Sitting here by a pond on a beautiful June morning, the possibility of that light feels as real as the mountains standing guard over Mother Nature’s exquisite beauty.

And in this ehemeral moment, I imagine that all of humankind stops, takes a breath and reflects on the beauty and awe in this world. And in that collective thought, our light grows so brilliant, we transform darkness into light.

And so it is.

P.S. – I wrote this post in my journal yesterday morning on my walk along the river and then through Canmore.

The wedding was later in the day. 16 people gathered together to witness the vows of two souls joining as one.

It was, a beautiful day.

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Scenes from yesterday: