When change rides roughshod in a bold onrush,
Drink not from the well of anguish and woes,
Embrace the whirlwind, the chaos and rush,
Navigate change with your soul's compass rose.
© Ilija Lukić 2026
Ingrained in our shared humanity is the trait to see the beauty of the natural world as an abundant, inexhaustible fountain of optimism and cheerfulness.
One could argue that such blind positivity—to mindfully set aside the harsh realities and bad news pervasive in modern life—is absurd or delusional and not good for the heart and soul. Yet, said small moments that subscribe to the notion of “God’s in His Heaven, all’s right with the world” more often than not serve to process emotions like pain and grief. Such moments will build genuine resilience, emotional depth and connection to those nearest and dearest to you and society as a whole.
© Ilija Lukić 2026
Why does my soul yearn
For halcyon days of yore,
While tell-tale heart soars
In untold dreams of morrows?
‘Cause said stepping stones
Frame rhythms of life’s dance floor
That help weather tides
Of life’s unsparing sorrows.
© Ilija Lukić 2026
The incredible botanical tapestry that blankets the shortgrass prairie and arid lands of the Llano Estacado Plateau in September always leaves me in awe. It’s age-old symphony of warm hues and exotic aromas of sage and earth urges senses to escape the daily grind and submit heart and soul to ethereal realms of the universe.
Golden crescendos of broom snakeweed embrace withered stalks of yucca campaniles. Their quiet chatter filled with nostalgic whispers of flowered spring heydays and summer monsoons buoys the afternoon hush. Even the rhythmic squeaking and clanking of sails on scattered stock tank windmills, driven by the endless plainsong of prairie winds, seems to add a measure of tranquility.
Once again, the autumnal spoke on the wheel of life marks the passage of time on the Staked Plains of New Mexico. For time immemorial the encouraging extravaganza of high plains flora—its last hurrah of summer splendor—prepares the tablelands and its denizens for winter slumber amidst unfailing covenants and high hopes for a springtide resurrection of life.
© Ilija Lukić 2026
When hopes, needs and quandaries trouble your mind,
Humbly persist, seek spiritual truths;
Knock and doors to divine grace will open
And reveal an untold realm of existence.
© Ilija Lukic 2026
Hold dear...hopes and dreams that dwell in your hearts
And embrace milestones blessed by divine grace,
For said connection buoys your soul’s ramparts—
Keeps hope afloat amidst lifelong rat race.
© Ilija Lukić 2026
A September sunrise on the Llano Estacado Plateau near the High Plains town of Clovis—on the border of the Texas Panhandle and eastern reaches of the Land of Enchantment—never fails to inspire reflection. At 4,280 feet above sea level, the cool morning ambiance with humidity in the 20s and air temperatures in the 60s belies the expected, torrid afternoon highs in the 90s.
I have a spiritual connection to and deep affection for New Mexico’s cactus-strewn prairies, boundless horizons that beckon travelers on treks across sweeping arid lands, mystical mesas and snow-capped mountains, and, most importantly the vibrant and indomitable people whose character was forged by storied and celebrated traditions built upon foundations of indigenous cultures and European ancestral legacies…bury my heart in New Mexico.
© Ilija Lukić 2026
Salida Del Sol