Meadowland

Spring rains are a recurring reminder of renewal: the greening foliage tells us that the cycle of life always includes a new beginning. When I first visited Yosemite National Park in California, a spring rain had just passed through the valley and I experienced this renewal visually. As the low clouds began to clear, the trees began to sparkle with light from the sun that peeked through. I saw patches of a bright blue sky behind the clouds; from the granite cliffs I heard and saw one of Yosemite’s many waterfalls. Stretched out before me and serving as a visual path to the cliffs was a huge meadow that appeared to glow with warm light, alive with texture and movement from a gentle breeze. The movement of the meadow's grasses, the way they reflected the emerging sunlight, spoke to me of life’s vitality and ongoing cycle of new beginnings.