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Good morning.

After a long hard winter in Cumbria, the early sunrise at 5:15 is a glorious welcome to the day. The streams that overflowed and froze the roads now trickle through their rightful paths with banks of bluebells, golden marsh marigolds and white stars of wild garlic. And the fields that were swampy to walk on, with sheep huddled to the walls for shelter, are now covered in daisies, buttercups and dandelions opening their petals to the dawn. It’s a beauty I can sink into. Julian of Norwich said that God is ‘the ground in which our souls stand’ and on these mornings, I believe her.

Sometimes I try to take a photograph for a friend, but it’s hard to capture.

Recently I found a book of unusual photographs by Julia Margaret Cameron. She was one of the first women photographers in the late 1800’s when people had to pose without moving for 5 minutes while their image imprinted onto a delicate glass plate! Photos at this time generally had a formal conservative style. But Julia’s were different, they captured the intimate atmosphere of looking into someone’s eyes, when, like the flowers at dawn, they suddenly reveal their soul. And no matter what age or features, how happy or sad they seem to be, I can’t help but find each person uniquely beautiful.

Jesus taught that we are designed to ‘love God with all our soul,’ even when life is really difficult. To step into another day, is to seek out this deeper beauty in myself, others and the mountains.

Gracious God,

May I find places with a soulful atmosphere and take time to notice the deeper beauty.

Amen.