The fog hangs heavy in the early morning light.
What a lovely canvas for this soft mist – a painter’s dream.
The leaves lie dormant upon the ground, mostly burnt sienna, but some, lemon yellow.
I search to find a scarlet leaf, but there are none to be found; nor, is there a cardinal anywhere in sight.
This palette is almost monotone, but lovely; soft light filters through the dawn.
On the deck, birds gather, and it is hard to tell the difference between them and the foliage.
It is only their quick movement –
I watch them flutter here and there, a flurry of wings.
I wrap myself in this cloud of quietude and sigh-
It is love, this Autumn fog, this sigh of early morning.
Fog can be so beautiful; it can also be very dangerous if you are driving and cannot see. I remember a time when my husband and I were driving down from the top of a mountain early one morning. We had to go very slowly because the fog was so thick. At different points on our way down, we encountered deer and extremely sharp turns. We literally crept down the mountain. Nothing looked the same as it had a day earlier when the sun was shining.
Sometimes in life, we feel like we encounter a deep ‘fog’; the familiar path looks a bit strange. We thought we knew our way, but the road ahead looks altogether different.
In these times, it is good to slow down a bit, and not make any rash decisions. We live in a world that is so fast-paced, we often feel like we don’t have much time to think things over. Oftentimes, we need exactly that…we need a space in time to mull over a situation that is ongoing in our lives. We need room to think, room to plan, room to come up with new ideas.
It is a funny thing, but when we step back for a moment, we begin to see a whole realm of ideas open up for us. What seemed like an insurmountable problem, becomes manageable. Even an apparent dead-end, might make a new beginning.
One thing that helps me in decision-making is to write down all the positives and negatives of a given decision. It also helps me to brainstorm a whole list of possibilities. Many times, an idea that I had never even thought about will emerge. It is often the answer to my problem.
The other thing that happens when we write down multiple answers to a problem, is that we see the problem itself in a brand new light. It could be that the problem is not as big as we originally thought it was. When we ask ourselves, ‘what if?’, we see that the ‘problem’ could lend itself to a positive shift in our lives. We might make changes that are good for us, changes that feel a bit uncomfortable, but allow us to grow and use our gifts in new ways.
We often think there are things that we are supposed to do, or that we ought to do, because that is what we tell ourselves we should be doing. Life should be about evolving and trying new things…not staying in the same place because that is how you envisioned it once upon a time.
I am a keeper of journals. The act of writing allows me to confront a great many mountains with a certain peace in my heart. I can see on paper the reality of what is happening around me…and within me as well.
If we are angry about something, and we write it down, it is as if we placed the anger in a place where we can really deal with it. Why are we so angry? What is really happening?
I think people keep gratitude journals to remind themselves that even in the rough patches, when the times seem uncertain, many things in life are still going ‘right’. There are always reasons to be thankful, reasons to celebrate all the goodness God brings into our lives daily.
Yes, the fog can be a beautiful thing; sometimes, in the ‘fog’ of life, we must pause and reflect on the beauty all around us. There in the mist, our beloveds are gathered near to help us. There in the mist, God reaches out to show us the way. In life, we must climb many mountains, and in a way, every mountain is a gift. We must remember to look up and not down. We must remember that the fog itself will lift; we must keep climbing.
Psalm 46: 1 – 3: “God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.”
Such a restorative interlude of a post. Thank you!!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend! 🙂 The weekends seem to go by so quickly…
Thank you, Linda! My husband and I are going for a scenic drive tomorrow. It should be fun! I hope you have a wonderful weekend as well.
I agree, Liz! I especially appreciated the idea of a gratitude journal.
A gratitude journal is a wonderful thing!
Thank you Linda for an excellent reflection. I especially appreciated your thought: “I am a keeper of journals. The act of writing allows me to confront a great many mountains with a certain peace in my heart. I can see on paper the reality of what is happening around me…and within me as well.”
Writing does help us to see things more clearly. It is a lens through which we learn so much about ourselves and the world. It forces you to pay attention and be observant…a way of sorting out our experiences and appreciating them.
Well said Linda. I remember those fog lifting days when clarity returns to life or the lake and the mountains. I journal off and on and it is very helpful to see thoughts and stories and insights. Outside of my head they are different. Some grow and others become insignificant.
That is exactly right. A journal is kind of like a garden…some things grow and some do not. But, when we look back, the pages tell a story…even the little things we did not think mattered. Some people keep art journals and I think that would be a great thing.
Thank you for this encouragement, I needed it today.
We are all in need of encouragement…you have often encouraged me. 🙂 (The fog finds its way to all of us!)
beautiful post with such an important message … love these photos, especially the second one! You use journal writing how I use meditation, taking the time and space to note all options and open up to new possibilities … lovely!
It is beautiful to be high up in the mountains…rain or shine, it is very peaceful. (I have taken a lot of mountain pictures.) Life can get so hectic; being out in nature is always so restorative.
exactly, well said Linda … keep enjoying!
🙂 🙂 🙂
Beautiful photos. I love this time of year. Thanks, Linda for the in-depth view. God’s grip – Alan
It is a lovely time of year…all the leaves are changing color, and the sky seems its bluest blue. When I was little I used to find the biggest leaves and bring them into the house. I would flatten them under a book and keep them for a long time. They were beautiful!
Love how you’ve related the actual fog to metaphorical fog in this post. I agree, early morning fog is utterly beautiful – I love getting up early to go somewhere and seeing the fog rolling over the field!
It is an awesome thing to watch the fog…I think of the poem by Carl Sandburg…”Fog”. It is so perfect: “The fog comes on little cat feet…” I can think of times out on the water when you cannot see for miles…so much dense fog. It is like everything stops…in a beautiful way. (That is if you are at anchor.) 🙂
Linda, I greatly appreciate how you have pointed to the positive that the fogs of life give us- an opportunity to slow down, to see things anew, and to lean into God and our family. I am much like you in that writing something out and seeing it paper brings both clarity and release. If too many thoughts or ideas are clamoring around in my mind, my thinking begins to feel foggy. Getting it out on to paper helps dissipate the fog.
Slowing down a bit seems contradictory to moving forward, and yet, many times it proves to be true. We may not like it when the fog rolls in, but it deepens our awareness of what is, and what is not important. God is always at work in our lives, even when we do not understand why things go the way they do. We are not ‘drifting’ in the fog; we are finding our way in new uncharted territory. And, God is there in the mist, asking us to trust Him, to take His hand…He has the chart, not us.
Beautiful images of fog, Linda, and a wonderful reflection on how life can be foggy as well. I’ve also found journaling helpful in clearing my thoughts and changing perspective. A lovely post full of wisdom.
Sometimes, I go back and look at journals I wrote some time ago…you always think you will remember everything about a given time. I am often surprised by what I find on the pages…days gone by, important things I learned. It fills in the details of memories, moments that mattered. You come to see that life is made up of all those little moments…many of them unplanned.
That’s lovely. Now I want to dig up on old journal and reread. 🙂
🙂 🙂 🙂
I love fog. Or at least, some foggy days. Wouldn’t want to be “in a fog” all the time. But the fog, particularly coming through the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, is glorious. Like a soft friendly dragon gliding along across the Bay. And the fog horns are the dragon’s breath, proclaiming I AM, I AM.
Thanks for the further inspiration to write more in my journal. I just taught a class last night about the importance of journaling. Researches have proven how helpful journaling is to our mental health! Beautiful post.
I love your description of the Golden Gate Bridge…sounds awesome. I would like to visit there sometime. Journaling does have so many benefits… in particular, a gratitude journal. It really makes you think about the little things that we might not appreciate fully. Those ‘little things’ really add up!
They add up to JOY! xo
🙂 🙂 🙂
Your posts always speak to me, and in a good way. You’re right, sometimes when we’re in a “fog” we have an incredible opportunity to assess our situation and look at problems in a new light. I also like to write down my options, as it helps me think more clearly and see things I might miss otherwise.
Looking at a situation from a lot of different perspectives takes time…we have to slow down long enough to really think it through. It is easy to make a snap decision or a quick judgement about something. We might be altogether wrong! Timing means so much in life, and time teaches us so much. We need to give ourselves room to grow. I have learned that some of the best things in life may actually take a great lot of time…time well spent. (The ‘fog’ may slow us down; but when it recedes, we may be much further along than we thought we were. We asked questions and we found answers. 🙂
This post is so insightful, and the photos are breathtaking! I love a morning fog, a mist that rises and lingers over the landscape. Moving through a fog in our lives does challenge us to be especially alert and attentive. Writing is an excellent tool and navigator for me as well. It helps me put things in perspective and discover something new. Thank you for continuing to share the view from your “window” and stretch a loving hand and heart out into the world.
Everything you write Elisa is always so beautiful…I learn so much from you! 🙂 Sometimes, our lives are full of ‘mist’, things we cannot understand, things we wish we could change. But in that mist of unknown things, there is always something new to be learned. In that ‘mist’ we typically discover truths we could not learn any other way. In that way, the foggy times in life when we are not always sure which way to turn, create meaningful new beginnings for us. We must be patient with ourselves and navigate our way through our difficulties…and there we find strength and perseverance. There we find the gift of looking up and asking God for help…
Well said!
Thank you Mary! 🙂