Almira Hart Lincoln Phelps

Today is the birthday of Almira Hart Lincoln Phelps.

Almira wrote about nature, and her textbook, Familiar Lectures on Botany, was first published in 1829.

Almira taught at Amherst Academy, and her textbook was undoubtedly known and used by Emily Dickinson, who was a student there.

The following quotes show us that Almira was hip to the idea of mindfulness over 200 years ago.

Here's what she wrote:

"So, in the physical world mankind is prone to seek an explanation of uncommon phenomena only, while the ordinary changes of nature, which are in themselves equally wonderful, are disregarded.

How often are the beauties of nature unheeded by man, who, musing on past ills, brooding over the possible calamities of the future, building castles in the air, or wrapped up in his own self-love and self-importance, forgets to look abroad, or looks with a vacant stare.

Each opening bud, and care-perfected seed, is as a page, where we may read of God."