It's like a rainbow

Walking through the parkway today I saw a group of well-dressed people on the shore of the creek by the bridge. The women wore hats. The men wore orange, for whatever reason. A man strolled among them playing a guitar. A couple of little kids were leaning over the rocks on the shore, checking out the creek. They were going to get dunked. Baptized. I wanted to take a picture because it looked so festive. But a baptism is a sacred thing and I didn't want to intrude. All the big world religions consider water a conduit to the divine via the natural world. It's a symbol of creation, purification and spiritual transformation. Life on earth would be impossible without water, which covers 71% of the earth's surface. You and I are made up of 60% water and can only live 3 days without it. We are born 80% water. And a lot of people—me included--won't go on vacation unless there's a body of water waiting at their destination. When you're in the dry desert, your mind tricks you by creating mirages of water. The thing I love most about water, though, is that it's a chameleon, constantly changing colors. It agrees with whatever it's reflecting, saying, 'have you considered this?' inviting you to take another look at things. Have a look below. Watch it when the sun rises on it, then later when it sets. What kind of magic is it that water can be green, then brown, then blue, sometimes even white, then sparkling clear yet contain all the colors of the rainbow? This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Our next issue ofParadise Foundwill focus on the theme of 'experience of color.' What's been your experience with cooler in this paradise we call home? Share it with us for next season's Paradise Found. We'll accept submissions until October 30th. Looking for inspiration? See the late summer issuehere.And all the rest on past substacks. Bathsheba Monk