The Interconnectedness of Mother Nature —a canvas painted with the colors of life and death, love and transformation. In the center of the painting, five California brown pelicans are side by side. Above them, the poppies bloom in all their glory, energetic and alive with vibrant hues. Below, the same poppies lie withered and spent, their petals wilted and faded—a poignant reminder of the inevitability of death and decay.

Yet, amidst this cycle of life and death, there exists a timeless truth—a truth that transcends the boundaries of form and time. It is the wisdom of the Divine, the unconditional love that flows through all existence. As humans, we share a profound relationship with the Divine—a relationship rooted in love, wisdom, and purpose. The poppies serve as symbols of this connection, representing the cyclical nature of life and death—the eternal dance of creation and dissolution.

The pelicans serve as symbols of you and me—individual beings navigating the currents of life. Yet, we are not separate from the Divine, nor from each other. All that has come before us, all that surrounds us, and all that will come after us is interconnected—a part of the same cosmic dance. Gold, with its radiant glow, represents the divine light that shines within each of us—a reminder of our inherent divinity and our eternal connection to the source of all creation.

After years spent reflecting on this painting, I am reminded of the words —“Tat tvam asi,” - "You are that." In each moment, in every breath, we are inseparable from the Divine. It is in the beauty of a blooming flower, in the graceful flight of a pelican, and in the silent embrace of death that we encounter the presence of the Divine—the source of all life, all love, and all wisdom.

May this painting serve as a reminder of our divine nature, of the eternal dance of life and death, and of the boundless love that connects us all. And may we, in our journey through life, embrace the beauty of this interconnectedness, knowing that we are never alone, but forever held in the loving embrace of the Divine.