Life Is A Pit Stop

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“Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.” Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
  
The quote above is this week's Poets and Storytellers United prompt that resulted in a poem. When merely a bud, how little I knew about the passage of time and that life is a quick pit stop, a blink in the cosmic eye, designed to stretch out in and savour. I am learning this with age as I imagine the live Mona Lisa (painting below) did in her day. 

I visited Mona Lisa in 2010 and somehow feel closer to her now than I did then.

In the images that follow, I sought the lightness of early spring when leaves and blooms begin to unfurl and the sky and eagle watchers can still peek through to the other side. At whatever stage, we see all things aging and/or transforming, including billions of years-old Earth, most recently due to human activity as explained HERE.  
    
Explore more at Poets and Storytellers United, SKYWATCH and Saturday's Critters. 


Because the state of our planet is the most pressing issue of our time, link up and learn about the  Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report.


HOLD ONTO THE LIGHT

Comments

  1. Spare Parts and PicsApril 4, 2024 at 12:29 PM

    Beautiful flowers. Life is indeed a pit stop. Enjoy it while you can!

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  2. Yogi♪♪♪April 4, 2024 at 1:48 PM

    Beautiful images and a great poem. We have to make use of our pit stop!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. SlabsApril 4, 2024 at 1:49 PM

    Love the bald eagle, fantastic
    I visited you via Skywatch Friday. My entry is #16. Feel free to join SSPS Linkup M-S: https://esmesalon.com/tag/wordlesswednesday/

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mystic MeanderingApril 4, 2024 at 2:08 PM

    "A blink in the cosmic eye"... Oh yes! "Ageing feebly like a house in disrepair" I relate :) Nice poem indeed! About 20+ years ago (in my early 50's), when in downtown Denver at the Public Library, seeing all the people coming and going on the street and going through the library, it suddenly hit me that life here is like a "way station." (a pit-stop! :) Everyone here is on their way to somewhere else - after death. At the time that both awed me and made sense. Our journeys are longer than we think:) just not in physical form... Love those beautiful red blooms!

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  5. carol l mckennaApril 4, 2024 at 4:03 PM

    Divine lightness of spring photos and awesome and colorful floral photos
    ~ Yep ~ it all goes by in a blink ~ and then it begins again ~ never ending story really. We just don't know it ~ hugs,

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

    ReplyDelete
  6. JocelynApril 4, 2024 at 4:52 PM

    Lovely flowers.

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  7. JimApril 4, 2024 at 6:32 PM

    Beautiful.

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  8. thomas leeApril 4, 2024 at 7:15 PM

    nice shots

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  9. MarjaApril 4, 2024 at 7:48 PM

    Beautiful photos and poem I love the line 'life a mere pitstop and 'set free in decline to savor the sublime'

    ReplyDelete
  10. Shiju SugunanApril 5, 2024 at 1:06 AM

    Love the poem, "Life a mere pit-stop" really resonated. The spring imagery is so beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  11. JoyfulApril 5, 2024 at 3:23 AM

    Beautiful photos.

    ReplyDelete
  12. RajaniApril 5, 2024 at 8:12 AM

    A pit-stop indeed!! And lovely pics, as always!

    ReplyDelete
  13. JimApril 5, 2024 at 11:49 AM

    You've got it, Penelope. I have those problems also, as of late anemia and kidney failure. Of course as they diagnosed and bunches of test, aging can do these. Too, I am much, much older than you.
    ..

    ReplyDelete
  14. JimApril 5, 2024 at 11:52 AM

    Forgot to mention that my favorite photo is the one with either a peninsula or an island across the bay or open sea.
    ..

    ReplyDelete
  15. Rosemary Nissen-WadeApril 5, 2024 at 3:44 PM

    I very much like your notes, as well as the poem, particularly 'a blink in the cosmic eye, designed to stretch out in and savour.' And I particularly love the final lines of your poem, which echo that. I like the point of view, too!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Debi SwimApril 6, 2024 at 6:13 AM

    Gorgeous picture taking and bittersweet poem of passage of time.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Aritha V. April 6, 2024 at 7:56 AM

    I love the big, big bird. That is a nice one.

    ReplyDelete
  18. eileeninmdApril 6, 2024 at 8:46 AM

    Hello,
    I love the beautiful blossoms, the views of the water and a great capture of the Eagle.
    Your poem is beautiful too! Life passes us by so quickly, enjoy each day to the fullest. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, enjoy your day and happy weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  19. BreathtakingApril 6, 2024 at 9:37 AM

    Hello Penelope :=)
    Life is a mere pit-stop, also resonated with me. Older and I hope wiser I intend to make the most of my short stay here on earth. Your Spring photos are a joy to see and also those stunning and beautifully photographed-Hibiscus flowers.
    All the best
    Sonjia.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Magaly GuerreroApril 6, 2024 at 9:55 AM

    People always say that one should feel very small when one looks at the immensity of the sky. Reading your poem makes me think that life is minute, when we look into the eye of time. So much living... done in a glimpse.

    Love the blooms, so lush!

    ReplyDelete
  21. AnonymousApril 7, 2024 at 1:07 AM

    Embrace disgrace. Most people would never notice.

    ReplyDelete
  22. DeniseinVAApril 7, 2024 at 5:11 AM

    Great post Penelope! Loved the photos and words. Evocative poem!

    ReplyDelete
  23. AnonymousApril 7, 2024 at 7:44 AM

    Beautiful flower photos....thought provoking poem!

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  24. HelenApril 7, 2024 at 9:35 AM

    Savor the sublime!!! A recipe for happiness, contentment .. life. I love your poem. And the photos you shared.

    ReplyDelete
  25. stardustApril 8, 2024 at 8:26 AM

    Your words sound having magical force to me, Maria, as always. I love the last line of your poetry. The lightness of early spring in your images are all shining with the divine Energy of Nature. Especially I like the big Eagle behind the sprouting leaves.
    Yoko

    ReplyDelete
  26. Brother OllieApril 8, 2024 at 1:52 PM

    Beautiful photos, and poetry. Thanks for visiting, and for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  27. YvonneApril 9, 2024 at 12:00 PM

    Beautiful photos, especially looking through flowers to the sky. The eagle is beautifully photographed. Your poem hits a little to close to home, and is very moving.

    ReplyDelete
  28. purplepeninportland.comApril 11, 2024 at 6:21 PM

    Gorgeous writing, Penelope! I love life as a pit-stop. I always enjoy your photos.

    ReplyDelete

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