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Lars Bergmans-Dorr's avatar

Nailed it with that image of the birds forming the outline of a bird! Wow. Is this what collective intelligence looks like? It's beautiful. If it looks that beautiful, I wonder what it FEELS like?

Lars Bergmans-Dorr's avatar

That question has stayed with me.

I opened a very small weekend space to sit with what this feels like, without trying to resolve it.

Leaving it here in case it’s useful to anyone:

https://open.substack.com/pub/thequietmission/p/the-weekly-wildcard-01?r=119v0c&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay

Catherine A McKenna's avatar

Amazing how nature can surprise us with marvels we'd never be able to do ourselves. It's very humbling to observe.

Aaron Ashworth's avatar

Respectfully, while these are indeed marvels, the things mankind has been able to do are quite marvelous as well. And further, we strive to do marvelous things whereas the creation does them simply because they are doing what they were created to do.

Lars Bergmans-Dorr's avatar

@Catherine, if we believe we would never be able to do this ourselves, that is a self reinforcing belief. What might we be capable of achieving if we believed that we could borrow from this ability? And then, make it better?

We’ve invented computers and machines of all kinds. We’re MORE capable than the birds. We’re also more capable of limiting our imaginations with self limiting beliefs. Instead of a birdcage, we trap ourselves in a mental cage. And the funny part is we hold the key to get out.

Donna's avatar

Thank you for sharing this amazing beauty is truth! Such a refreshing and inspiring post.

James Lucas's avatar

Thank you so much!

Renee Marie's avatar

Outta the ballpark!

Thank you James!

REPUBLIA's avatar

Here’s to moving back into Concordance with the Original Will and our true Nature!

" The human Rights of Women are among those uncountable and naturally unalienable Rights of the Formation Document of this shared American Republic & Declaratory Charter of Our Natural Rights, which guarantees forever the Equal Station it entitles both Women and Men to."

Below is a reaffirmation & redeclaration by men of the Republic that the above said is the Supreme Law of these Lands, which is in Full Force with Legal Effect to this day—For the reunification of our Country as one People against tyranny of all forms:

https://republia.substack.com/p/for-the-preservation-of-freedom-and

Ken Kiyama's avatar

"A.I." stands for Amazing Image - nature can outdo anything some computer can do.

Kevin Thomas's avatar

I hadn’t heard of crown shyness before—but the moment I did, it unfolded like a metaphor waiting to be explored.

DJ BREWER's avatar

You mean you haven't lived with a Crown of Shyness on your head? I guess not if you're just going to explore the idea now.

Debra's avatar

Nature never disappoints.

Robert Helms's avatar

New to your site, this my first read. Working through some significant personal losses and trying to find some peace.

Thank you for this thoughtful writing

James Lucas's avatar

Thank you for sharing this, Robert. I’m really sorry for your losses, and I hope the writing offered a little comfort.

DJ BREWER's avatar

May you find your Peace.

May it nurture and heal your heart.

Maggie Delaney-Potthoff's avatar

Our "wow's" grew louder with every scroll. I melt when I see birds flocking as they travel. These were beyond beyond. Please continue!

DJ BREWER's avatar

My favorite is the Monarch Butterfly migration. It takes generations, so the migration path must be etched into their butterfly DNA. It seems impossible for such a tiny flying creature to manage the multi thousand Mile trek from Canada to Mexico, with multiple lifespans needed to complete the trek from beginning to end.

Carolyn Kelliher's avatar

East of the Mississippi, the fall migration by solitary hummingbirds who were born in the summer is wondrous too.

sharon f's avatar

I will never curse a cacophony of starlings ever again! These notes and images are nurturing my spirit. Grateful.

James Lucas's avatar

So glad to hear that, Sharon!

Carla Martin's avatar

Best wishes to you James and thank you :)

Sarah TN's avatar

I just restacked - and will say the same thing I told my readers. This is an amazing list. Discovering such things reminds me of the depth and complexity of this world I am so blessed to live in (why shouldn't God add a few flourishes?) ☺️ It is also an excellent showcase of the constant flow of actions that nurture and sustain life in our world ... and for me (living in a place experiencing deep winter) this sustains my faith and spirit as I wait for spring. Thank you to the author.

Sabrina Sehbai's avatar

“Nature is a poem that never ends.” And the images and stories you share are like the odes of the poem. Magic. ✨🌳💖

James Lucas's avatar

Thank you so much, Sabrina!

Kerry Bart-Raber's avatar

Thank you for the post reflecting on your need for being near nature with Thoreau's written observations .... then the global visual examples of Wonder !!

savannah's avatar

there’s a quiet steadiness to this that made me slow down without realizing it. the way you let ideas rest instead of forcing resolution gave the piece a kind of gravity that stayed with me well after i finished reading.

James Lucas's avatar

Thank you so much 🙏🏻

Betsy's avatar

These are so moving & beautiful. The stronger tree nourishing the remaining tree that had been cut down really resonated in my soul. Isn’t that what humanity does in its best humane condition? Something I’m afraid is hard to come by in recent years.

PL Scott's avatar

Absolutely! That really touched me as well. Nature speaks to each other & to us if we are willing to listen❣️

PūrSalt | The Salt of Life's avatar

What I love here is the reminder that beauty isn’t rare — our attention is. These moments ask us to live more deliberately, the way Thoreau meant it.