"Morning at Coon Lake" (Image & Text Copyright Wylddane Productions, LLC)
There is a lake in this small village not too far from the wee cottage—just one block away, really. Some mornings, rather than follow the familiar path through the garden, coffee mug in hand, I tuck a thermos under my arm and wander down to the quiet waters of Coon Lake.
Here, the day begins differently. Not in motion, but in stillness. Not in planning, but in being. The lake greets me with a glassy surface, reflecting the line of trees and cottages as if the world itself were pausing to admire its own beauty. I sip coffee slowly, watching the sun lift the shadows, and allow myself to simply absorb the unfolding of a new day.
The geese are not here yet, though I think I hear their calls in the distance. They will come soon enough, heralding the season’s rhythm with their honking chorus. For now, a pair of snow geese keep me company, drifting serenely across the mirrored water. Their presence reminds me that even in quiet, there is companionship.
It is in moments like this that I return to the teachings I hold dear. The truth whispered by philosophers and sages across centuries is that what we hold in our minds shapes what we live in our days. Wayne Dyer’s voice echoes in me: “Be aware at any given moment in your life that you always have a choice about the thoughts you allow in your mind. Choose to replace disempowering, weakening thoughts with thoughts of a higher spiritual frequency.”
Others have said it differently, but always with the same wisdom. Lao Tzu counseled us to watch our thoughts, for they become words. The Buddha reminded us that thoughts manifest as deeds. The Zoroaster urged that our good thoughts, good words, and good deeds alone will be our intercessors. And Gandhi, in his clarity, gave us the full arc:
“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
What an immense responsibility, and yet what a gentle invitation—that our inner life builds the path beneath our feet.
So I begin this day at the water’s edge with thoughts of gratitude, beauty, and blessing. Gratitude for the stillness, for the geese, for the quiet morning sky. Beauty in the reflection of the trees, in the simplicity of sunlight touching the lake. Blessing in the truth that life allows us always to choose again, to create anew, to shape this day with intention.
May we all pause to be aware of the reality we are creating. May our thoughts rise like morning light, brightening our words and actions. May we build a day worthy of reflection, as calm and clear as the waters of Coon Lake.
* * * * * * * * * *
“The thought manifests as the word;
The word manifests as the deed;
The deed develops into habit;
And habit hardens into character.
So watch the thought and its ways with care,
And let it spring from love.”
~The Buddha
~Wylddane
Here, the day begins differently. Not in motion, but in stillness. Not in planning, but in being. The lake greets me with a glassy surface, reflecting the line of trees and cottages as if the world itself were pausing to admire its own beauty. I sip coffee slowly, watching the sun lift the shadows, and allow myself to simply absorb the unfolding of a new day.
The geese are not here yet, though I think I hear their calls in the distance. They will come soon enough, heralding the season’s rhythm with their honking chorus. For now, a pair of snow geese keep me company, drifting serenely across the mirrored water. Their presence reminds me that even in quiet, there is companionship.
It is in moments like this that I return to the teachings I hold dear. The truth whispered by philosophers and sages across centuries is that what we hold in our minds shapes what we live in our days. Wayne Dyer’s voice echoes in me: “Be aware at any given moment in your life that you always have a choice about the thoughts you allow in your mind. Choose to replace disempowering, weakening thoughts with thoughts of a higher spiritual frequency.”
Others have said it differently, but always with the same wisdom. Lao Tzu counseled us to watch our thoughts, for they become words. The Buddha reminded us that thoughts manifest as deeds. The Zoroaster urged that our good thoughts, good words, and good deeds alone will be our intercessors. And Gandhi, in his clarity, gave us the full arc:
“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
What an immense responsibility, and yet what a gentle invitation—that our inner life builds the path beneath our feet.
So I begin this day at the water’s edge with thoughts of gratitude, beauty, and blessing. Gratitude for the stillness, for the geese, for the quiet morning sky. Beauty in the reflection of the trees, in the simplicity of sunlight touching the lake. Blessing in the truth that life allows us always to choose again, to create anew, to shape this day with intention.
May we all pause to be aware of the reality we are creating. May our thoughts rise like morning light, brightening our words and actions. May we build a day worthy of reflection, as calm and clear as the waters of Coon Lake.
* * * * * * * * * *
“The thought manifests as the word;
The word manifests as the deed;
The deed develops into habit;
And habit hardens into character.
So watch the thought and its ways with care,
And let it spring from love.”
~The Buddha
~Wylddane
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