Life is far too delicate to be unaware of its intricacies. Breathe it all in – a.a malee

This week Ann-Christine/Leya inspires us with a look at, Delicate. Her inspiration comes from her recent trip to Japan. Join her as she eloquently describes delicate as having so many different meanings: Exquisite, Fragile, Subtle, Elegant and as art.

My initial reaction was thoughts of our delicate landscapes. Have you ever thought of the soil as a living organism, teeming with life and potential? Always deserving our respect, we tread lightly near the geysers and hot springs of Yellowstone above.

In the desert we are careful not to tread on what we see as a foundation of life…the soil.

And what of the ocean? I know sometimes it roars, and crashes into our rocky shorelines. Set that aside. Will you also agree it is calm, focused and consistent, all in an effort to maintain a delicate balance with its shorelines?

Life.

And we understand that delicate balance to holding on and letting go.

But as I type this I am also looking at photos from our last four days in Rome, Italy. It is not our first visit and will not be our last. It is not because we want to see its iconic sites or enjoy its nice weather. It is because Italians are fully aware of the intricacies I spoke of. Love life feels like their mantra (unless of course you are sitting in traffic).

Italy knows very well how to breathe it all in. It is an archeological wonder with windows to the past, and I think of every stone an ancient newspaper to be read and reread.

Our four days here cannot be complete without thoughts of pasta. Delicate you ask? At Riccardo’s Cooking School we learn to make pasta, and how it must be handled with delicate hands as you would a baby. In fact to fold it, you must learn to use the back of your hand. Very much an art, there is a secret ingredient that goes in all homemade pasta, it is called love.

I repeat…

Life is far too delicate to be unaware of its intricacies. Breathe it all in.

Wind Kisses, Donna

A huge thank you to Ann Christine for inspiring us to look at delicate in numerous ways. What does delicate look like to you? Remember to link to her post and include the Lens-Artists tag so we can find you. Last week, Patti inspired us with hopeful. It was amazing to see all the places we find the hope we are looking for.

DO save your flowers, for next week. Sofia wants to see them ALL with her challenge, Floral. Her beautiful photos will draw you right in to her soul, so don’t miss her: Saturday 12:00 EST.

We will be traveling for the next few weeks. I will catch up as internet and time allows. Until then, stay inspired with the delicate things in life and flowers…there is always a reason for flowers.

Interested in knowing more about the Lens-Artists challenge? Click here for more information.