Mindfulness

Nature

"Nature is beautiful when we have the eyes to appreciate it."

The Sparrow Who Invited Himself

This sparrow worked out that my lap was the shortest path to a snack. He landed, helped himself, and left again — no hesitation, no permission asked.

Wild animals rarely close that distance. When one does, it is usually because you stayed still long enough to stop being a threat.

The Collection

Encounters

None of these 7 encounters were arranged. Each one happened because an animal decided, for a few seconds, that I was worth approaching — and because I happened to be paying attention.

A red dragonfly resting on an open hand above grass — A Moment of Rest
A dragonfly landed on my hand to rest. Wings still, weighing almost nothing, in no particular hurry to leave.

A black cat held close to my shoulder — My Travel Partner
My cat, and my travel partner. Quiet, yet curious and obsessed with the little details. One of the dearest beings to me.

A garden filled with a swarm of bees in flight, each one a small dot against the trees — A Hive Splitting
Family
A beehive in my family garden splitting in spring to find a new home. Every dot in the air is a bee.

A herd of black and white cows gathering at a fence beside me — They Come to the Fence
Belgium
These cows in my home country of Belgium approach me whenever I pass by their field. Look at them long enough and it is hard to deny that they communicate in their own way — and that they feel things.

Sitting beside a cow resting on the ground in a sanctuary in India — Brushed and Hugged
India
Cows in the sanctuary of Sadhana Forest, India. They love being brushed and hugged — and will happily lick your arm while you do it.

A donkey standing close to the camera in a field — Always Asking for a Hug
Family
Our family donkey. Endlessly curious, always following me, always asking for a hug. We take care of him because we like animals — and in return his manure fertilizes the garden.

A black and white horse walking toward the camera beside a wooden barn — The Greener Grass
Belgium
An elegant horse in my neighborhood. He follows me when I walk along his street and never forgets to beg for the greener grass on my side of the fence.

The Sparrow Who Invited Himself

Encounters

A Moment of Rest

My Travel Partner

A Hive Splitting

They Come to the Fence

Brushed and Hugged

Always Asking for a Hug

The Greener Grass