The Beautiful Work

“ In early June the world of leaf and blade and flowers explodes, and every sunset is different.” – John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent

On this last day of spring, the promise of summer is found on the sun dappled sidewalks, in the scent of tanning lotion wafting through the air and in the excited voices of a group of kids playing baseball, the long lazy days of summer so close they are positively vibrating with anticipation.

It’s time to shed some layers, live more lightly upon the Earth and throw ourselves ardently into some beautiful work – perhaps to send those handwritten letters we meant to write as our friend Jacqueline is doing, to pick up that unread book and take it to a park or down by the sea, to declutter our corners once again and simply be.

The winter teas of chai and ginger have been put away (the hot chocolate stays put for those summer storms that surge in after a glorious sunset!) making room for the herbal teas that will find their way into the mason jar as ice tea, the scent of hibiscus, pomegranate and raspberry enveloping the senses. These warmer days have already enticed me outside – a trio of weathered picnic tables located just down our street nestled under several towering leafy trees have already hosted a picnic or two. To sit on a bench with our legs stretched out munching on a nourish bowl of salad (lovingly made up of shredded purple cabbage, dark red beets, green onions and radishes from the Farmer’s Market, a variety of beans, and black olives for Terry) is divine. We get to breathe in fresh air, watch the tiny brown Douglas pine squirrels forage for food and people watch (so many clutching maps as they explore the outstanding natural beauty of this park).

I first heard the phrase, “beautiful work” at my weekly yoga class and it struck me as a profound way of being – how after an hour devoid of to-do’s, worries and forever ringing phones enables us to step back into our busy worlds to perform the beautiful work that colour our days whether that finds us looking after family or friends, hoofing it to our jobs or moving amongst the world. This sacred time in union with others wipes our slates clean, fills those empty cups to the brim with quiet happiness, restoring our energy so we can rejoin the fray, painting the day in whatever colours we choose, allowing the flowing ribbon of beautiful work to unfold where it may.

The peaceful Nitobe Memorial Garden (a Shinto-style stroll garden) located on two acres of native BC forest at the University of British Columbia. We spent a lovely afternoon here recently and hope to again soon!

Walking through the Nitobe Memorial Garden (UBC) yielded so many tranquil spots, I could not believe how beautifully green it was!

I can never pass by a door or gate, I find them so intriguing – this beautiful bamboo gate caught my eye near the end of our stroll at the Nitobe Memorial Garden (UBC)!

The beauty of this sculptural tree amongst the mosses spoke to me – “A Japanese garden is not only a place of beauty, but a place where the soul can find nourishment.”, this is a quote taken from the handout for the Nitobe Memorial Garden (UBC).