We are in an age of seeing and hearing “scroll down” rather than “turn the page”, “click here”, rather than “call to order”. Images and videos flash before us on our phones, computers, tablets and televisions. Some days it feels like a roller coaster of sounds and colors coming at us with dizzying speed. And then. . .

A calm, simple, still picture stopped me in my tracks. A picture on Facebook. A work of art by my friend, Janet. A twig. A drawing of a lone, bare twig. Janet said she spent 2 and 1/2 hours drawing a single twig. A graphite drawing by Janet S. Reed.

Its simplicity is stunning. Look at the long, slender stem, flowing slightly to the right. Each little nodule is carefully positioned to birth other little stems. And sometimes produce little flowers. The black and white enhances the beauty and marvel of nature.

Stillness. Stillness promotes calm. Stillness gives us time to reflect, to notice the wonders of what surrounds us in nature. Finding stillness promotes creativity and better decision-making. It’s stillness we try to cultivate through Tai Chi, stillness in motion. I think of, I feel the energy of Tai Chi as I sink into the wonder of this drawing. It connects me to the earth, grounds me.

Take a couple minutes to reflect on this twig. What energy comes from its simplicity? How does it make you feel?

Thank you, Janet for giving me permission to use your work of art, the twig. It is profound.