Love of Nature

Circle of Stones  ·  Station IV · Wonder

Love of Nature

Love of Nature is best read on the stone itself, in its own language.

A loose watercolor painting of two open hands cradling a small wildflower, a sunlit meadow blurred softly behind

Love of Nature is a stone by the poet Olga Nova, and out of respect for her copyright, I'm not going to translate or quote it here — I'd rather you read it for yourself, in its own language, if you ever find yourself standing in front of this particular stone in the garden.

What I can share is what it stirred in me — themes of love, connection, and the natural world, and how they meet the way I hold my own faith.

Olga Nova — Author

Olga Nova is a contemporary poet whose work on this stone in the meditation gardens explores love, nature, and human connection.

A loose watercolor painting of smooth pale river stones along a garden path

A Personal Connection

My love for the Passion of the Lord grows deeper the more I read and reflect on it. Each of the Sorrowful Mysteries, and each Station of the Cross, reveals something new to me every time I sit with it — a fresh layer of meaning I hadn't noticed before.

Just as this stone speaks to a love found in nature and human connection, I find that same kind of love reflected back to me in Christ's suffering and sacrifice — a love that's patient, sacrificial, and endlessly revealing.

A loose watercolor painting of a weathered stone texture

Questions and Reflections

Simon of Cyrene was compelled to help Jesus carry His cross — an act of service he likely didn't choose, but one that became an act of love regardless. Have you ever been called to help someone in a moment you didn't expect, and found love in it anyway?

Veronica wiped the face of Jesus, a small, tender act of compassion amid great suffering. What small acts of love and compassion can you offer to those who are struggling around you, even in the middle of your own difficult season?

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Station IV  ·  Wonder  ·  You are here

Where would you like to go from here?

You do not have to decide all at once. These pages are nearby whenever you are ready. Stay as long as you need — and step forward only when you feel called.

Also in Station IV Act of Dreaming What the rain is actually for. Also in Station IV The Green Leaves Renewal and hope, another quiet season of growth. Also in Station IV — Inner Journey Keeping a Spiritual Journal If reflecting on love found in creation resonates, this is where that practice lives.
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