What if riches were found in all that we see? I took stock of some of my accounts: one of the fondest investments was an early transaction that began my life saving venture—salamanders in my window wells and hidden under rocks in my childhood neighborhood; then, there was the turtle I rescued and kept in a small plastic swimming pool for a couple of days before releasing him—that was time well spent; later, I discovered the joy of a bike speeding down a hill followed by a string of sunrises and sunsets that taught me what it cost to slow down while on an uphill climb; I recall the loss that also led to gain in the death of my young mother—sometimes it isn’t until you are bankrupt that you really understand wealth. It strikes me now that these items never depreciate. What riches—the sight of my wife or the sound of her laughter; the joy of my two boys and their wives—daily doubling all the investments; or, the student who takes my two cents and somehow does more with it than it is worth. Most of my accounts are labeled with nature’s assets—the cost of beauty, which I have found to be my most treasured and mysterious investment as it defies the commercial logic of scarcity, for when it is spent you are left with more. 

an old pond
tips the scales of fish 
with golden light

Sitting in the lobby of a Comfort Suites in Coralville, Iowa, I watch a man in a wheelchair with a plastic tube sticking out of his throat. It has a nozzle for some kind of attachment that is currently not attached. His palm is open, holding medicine—it is not a steady hand. The man looks tired, or maybe I make him look tired in my mind. He attempts to pull himself closer to the table and fails. I wonder about how difficult it would be to lack control. My Bible is open before me and I read Psalm 86:1—”Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help.” My eyes return to the previous scene. A young man approaches, it looks to be his son as they share similar traces of DNA. The young man gives him water and slides the wheelchair forward. The gentle man in the wheelchair whispers, “Thank you.”

dawn light
gaunt bird 
with long shadow

Psalm 37 (ESV)
He Will Not Forsake His Saints
Of David.
	[1] Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
		be not envious of wrongdoers!
	[2] For they will soon fade like the grass
		and wither like the green herb.
	[3] Trust in the LORD, and do good;
		dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
	[4] Delight yourself in the LORD,
		and he will give you the desires of your heart.
	[5] Commit your way to the LORD;
		trust in him, and he will act.
	[6] He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
		and your justice as the noonday.
	[7] Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
		fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
		over the man who carries out evil devices!
	[8] Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
		Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
	[9] For the evildoers shall be cut off,
		but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.
	[10] In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
		though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
	[11] But the meek shall inherit the land
		and delight themselves in abundant peace.
	[12] The wicked plots against the righteous
		and gnashes his teeth at him,
	[13] but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
		for he sees that his day is coming.
	[14] The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
		to bring down the poor and needy,
		to slay those whose way is upright;
	[15] their sword shall enter their own heart,
		and their bows shall be broken.
	[16] Better is the little that the righteous has
		than the abundance of many wicked.
	[17] For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
		but the LORD upholds the righteous.
	[18] The LORD knows the days of the blameless,
		and their heritage will remain forever;
	[19] they are not put to shame in evil times;
		in the days of famine they have abundance.
	[20] But the wicked will perish;
		the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures;
		they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
	[21] The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
		but the righteous is generous and gives;
	[22] for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land,
		but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
	[23] The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
		when he delights in his way;
	[24] though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
		for the LORD upholds his hand.
	[25] I have been young, and now am old,
		yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
		or his children begging for bread.
	[26] He is ever lending generously,
		and his children become a blessing.
	[27] Turn away from evil and do good;
		so shall you dwell forever.
	[28] For the LORD loves justice;
		he will not forsake his saints.
	They are preserved forever,
		but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
	[29] The righteous shall inherit the land
		and dwell upon it forever.
	[30] The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
		and his tongue speaks justice.
	[31] The law of his God is in his heart;
		his steps do not slip.
	[32] The wicked watches for the righteous
		and seeks to put him to death.
	[33] The LORD will not abandon him to his power
		or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
	[34] Wait for the LORD and keep his way,
		and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
		you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
	[35] I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
		spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
	[36] But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
		though I sought him, he could not be found.
	[37] Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
		for there is a future for the man of peace.
	[38] But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
		the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
	[39] The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
		he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
	[40] The LORD helps them and delivers them;
		he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
		because they take refuge in him. (ESV)

Hiking the Barr Trail in Colorado, I came across this lizard and found myself struck by the reptilian nature of the mountains surrounding me: dry and scaly with a cold-blooded need for heat. These massive vertebrates spiking thousands of feet into the air; backbones of wonder supporting the majesty of a breathtaking response.

through the pines
comfort within discomfort
a long switchback

     I came upon a bench, 
blue and inviting like the sky with
a thin cloud of a white paper towel 
spread open as a placemat—
upon it were two potatoes 
and one large red onion—
an ironic sign of care as I suppose
the barrier was meant to guard from dirt—
what could belong to the earth more
than two potatoes and an onion?
I suppose man and woman is another answer. 
     This bench, a table set for two
(waiting for the blind date that wouldn't show).
I read the menu over and over:
Going on a trip. Take them if you want them. 
With my camera in hand, I took them
while leaving everything that was there.

I admired this swallowtail butterfly in the early morning sun as I sat on a hotel porch—the scenery taking me in as much as I took it in. A barefoot staff person watered the flowers as if on holy ground. I found myself amazed by the beauty in this world—often subtle and yet striking. What a gift to find a sense of home even in a transient surrounding.

eager to please
boy turns to younger sister
“You can have mine!”