Everyday Canvas

Lakes

Prompt:
"A lake is a landscapes most beautiful and expressive feature. It is earth's eye: Looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature."
Henry David Thoreau
Write about this in your Blog entry today.


---------------

Where I live in Florida lakes abound. Unfortunately, most of these lakes are slightly larger than ponds and are man-made, especially by developers who took over the lush wildlands. Yet, these lakes can't even come close to the beauty and grandeur of natural ones, ever!

In the presence of a natural lake, one cannot help but be humbled by the grandeur of nature. Whenever I am in the presence of such a lake, I get a sense of wonder at its timeless beauty. Plus, a lake transforms with the changing seasons from lying under a blanket of snow to showing off the colors and images from the surrounding landscape.

One such lake is Lake Como in Italy as it is a wonder of nature and the art and the craftsmanship of humans who live, play, and do commerce around it. Commerce is the key word here, Lake Como is a tourist haven and has become far too commercial despite its breathtaking natural beauty.

Then, there is another lake that had impressed and inspired me during my college years for its natural magnificence. It is a much less known lake and it was not as commercial when I saw it.

I'm talking about the large Lake Sapanca in northwest Turkey, located in a tectonic hole, surrounded by mountains in the south and smaller hills in the north. This lake supplies much-needed water for the area. Then, it is also known for the variety of fish that lived in it. I hope the fish still do live there, as the waters of the world did get dirtied by humans.

At the time that I visited this lake, I was awed by its reflective quality. Its quiet waters mirrored the natural beauty around it, the mountains, the lake grass, the surrounding foliage, and whoever or whatever else happened to be there. The effect was ethereal.

This lake and many others hold a strong attraction for those of us who seek connection with nature, inspiring introspection and a sense of wonder. They lie in their beds as if they are timeless and enchanting, unlike us humans who are here on earth for only a given, short time.



.