This poem and these images emerged from where my two great refuges, nature photography and mindfulness meditation, intersect.
Beginner’s Mind
I do not know your name,
Have not come face-to-face with you before
Or perhaps have not seen you quite like this.
And to be clear, you cannot stay
Because you are harming my dear jade.
But before taking action, let me take
A close look and marvel
At the details of your form.
Before moving you gently outdoors,
May I shift out of self-interest long enough
To see the world from your perspective
And dwell in both the mystery of your being
And this wondrous, connected moment
In which your reputation does not precede you
And I know you, too, as dear.
© 2021 Susan Meyer. All rights reserved. You are welcome to share this post or excerpts of it as long as you give proper credit to Susan Meyer and SusanTaraMeyer.com. Susan Meyer is a photographer, writer, and spiritual teacher who lives on the Hudson River in Upstate New York.