Stop and Smell the Fungus
I almost missed these orange hued wonders as I made my way back to the station. On Tuesdays, I like to cut through a buddhist temple in Ichikawa as part of relaxing end to my day. It helps to put the world back into perspective as I come out of the fluorescents and into the sunshine.
The temple building itself is pretty new but its grounds must be a few hundred years old. They include a hand hewn stairway that passes through an old wooden gate making the entering of sacred ground.
After being in a building for most of the day I like to get out into the small garden of this temple. Last week the park was crammed full of cherry blossom watchers, whereas today the grounds were still. I walked past a large tree when a few blips of orange caught my eye. They were tiny in size but bold in the color they spoke, orange.
I had to turn around and get down on my knees in order to get the fungi into my view finder. They were well worth the time. The short pause after a long day is necessary. The selfless act of noticing something so tiny that most walked straight on by with out even giving these little ones any thought or admiration.
They are on the verge of being. They are there if we notice or don’t. It is really up to us to take the time to breathe in the world around us. To take in these lovely orange wonders for our stimulation.
Please take some time to stop and smell the fungus.
