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We are bilateral creatures. Two hands, two eyes, two halves of our brains. I sometimes think it predisposes us to divide our world into left and right, black and white, good and bad, bitter and sweet.
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Perhaps we seek to simplify the world by ordering it. From childhood, we learn that lining things up in ordered rows is good. Swirling chaos is bad. We judge the value of things, put them into the correct order; sort them into the proper stack. The world grows easier to manage when it neatly falls into ‘half of this’ and ‘half of that.’
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But at some point, I believe, we seek to transcend the divisions and find unity. We feel the unity of mind-body-spirit. We experience ‘at-one-ment’ with another person; perhaps with the entire multiverse.
We understand ‘half and half’ to be a single whole. We simplify our world by bringing the disparate bits into harmony, and later into into the unified chord of creation: OM.
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Nature shows us this with her artistry. Her designs may be seen in ever finer divisions. See how the veins in a single leaf branch again and again into finer passages. Observe the rippling of light and dark again and again. Such perfection in a single leaf.
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But it is a single leaf of a unified plant. And these plants meld with their networked roots, spreading rhizomes, mingling leaves. They teach us community through their mutual sharing. Each leaf and blade of grass finds the light and water it needs to prosper.
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Like a virtuoso passing time, we play the scales of our perception. Our mind travels up and down the scales of our reality, like fingers caressing keys or a bow dancing across the expanse of strings and wood. Half and half; three-quarters; five-eighths time; our staccato thoughts can touch them all. Until the moment it all blends into a single melody, and we perceive the one pure sound of life.
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For the Daily Post’s Weekly Photo Challenge: Half and Half
Woodland Gnome 2015
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Thank you for the thoughtful reflections about the unifying strength found in nature, and the lovely photos, WG.
Thank you for visiting, Jane. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos and reflections. WG
Your photos are so compelling that it’s tempting to skip over the words to get to the next one. That would be a mistake.
That is very kind, Rickii. So happy you enjoyed it. There is a certain love affair between a garden photographer and her plants, and it shines clearly in all of your photos, too 😉
Brilliant post – so love your thoughts on half and half. My eyes lit up on the variegated colocasia and the purple basil with Powis Castle…magnificent!
Thank you , Eliza ☺ The variegated Colacasia Mojito…. supposed to be hardy here in 7b.
Fingers crossed! Extra mulch just in case we have another extra cold winter?
No, it is in a pot at the moment. I lost some marginal ones last year by trusting them outside. This one will come inside over winter. I just love these leaves!
Good idea, this one is too precious to leave to chance!
Once frozen, twice cautious?? We lost so many plants last winter which are ‘supposed’ to be hardy here. It just remains a challenge to determine how many survivors can fit into the ark 😉
😀 Love the analogy!
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Thank you, Eliza 😉
wow for the leafs !!!
We love them 😊
I really enjoyed this. 🙂 and also the pictures!
Thank you, Koko 😉
Beautiful interpretations of half and half 🙂 Linda
Thank you, Linda, and thank you for visiting Forest Garden today 😉