Spirited Aspens

Life and death converge in life. 

On my recent trip to Colorado this point was driven home in Rocky Mountain National Park.  I was drawn to the stark contrast of life and death as it intertwined amidst the trees.  The spirited, shimmering Aspens in the thick of the lush, green Lodgepole pines with the brittle, dead ones in the midst of life and majesty.  

Death highlighted life. 

I have fallen in love with the quaking Aspens and the vibrant life they symbolize. Could King David have seen an image like this when he wrote in Psalm 89: 

“Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of God. Delighted, they dance all day long; they know who you are, what you do—they can’t keep it quiet! Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us— you’ve been so good to us! We’re walking on air! All we are and have we owe to God, Holy God of Israel, our King!”  

Those Aspens dance all day long.  They make a shimmering sound and can’t keep quiet.  Their vibrant beauty got inside of me, my mind and soul.  Seeing such majesty makes me know that all we are, and all we have, we owe to God.  Only a mighty, supreme Being, God, Maker of all, in my way of thinking, could have created such marvelous scenery and amazing life cycles.  

Life cycles.  Life cycles were impressed upon me during this visit.  The pine beetles that are creating the death of the pine trees.  The woodpeckers that are being introduced to kill off the pine beetles that are killing off the trees.  The life cycles of life and death that are so deeply intertwined in our lives.  So much gratefulness, or is it greatfulness, to contemplate.