What a great question. I've always had a fascination/felt a connection to thunderstorms. The lightning, wind, hail, not to mention the odd tornado. Watching them roll in and witnessing the destructive power was always a powerful reminder of my place in the universe i.e. it has zero fucks to give. One memory in particular boiled this down for me. In my late teens, I was riding my 10-speed and I could see the thunderhead boiling up to the Northeast. I hauled ass to the edge of town which happened to be at the local cemetery. I remember getting chills watching it form and seeing the lightning thread through the clouds. Granted, I was high at the time but still, it was humbling and empowering all at once. Regardless of your race or socioeconomic background or religion, the weather can fuck you up. The first time I encountered the following quote by Hitchens, I thought of that storm. We're all mammals after all.

“Beware the irrational, however seductive. Shun the 'transcendent' and all who invite you to subordinate or annihilate yourself. Distrust compassion; prefer dignity for yourself and others. Don't be afraid to be thought arrogant or selfish. Picture all experts as if they were mammals. Never be a spectator of unfairness or stupidity. Seek out argument and disputation for their own sake; the grave will supply plenty of time for silence. Suspect your own motives, and all excuses. Do not live for others any more than you would expect others to live for you.”

Mother nature and all she has to offer. She is a capricious lady ,and she seems to use the state of Oklahoma as a punching bag. That said,she is a fascinating lady. I plan to chase her whirlwinds this spring.

Personally speaking...
It would be the many gray hairs that streak my dark mane.
Every time I look into a mirror, I see them staring back at me. And each time, it reminds that although I didn't have the greatest of lives.
I lived. And I still am living.
I regard each gray as a badge of honor. A reminder of the hell I've walked through and overcame. And for that reason. I will never hide them away.

Sadly this is one of the things my poor old brain does not comprehend.
I have physical scars that serve to remind me where my emotional ones came from, just as physical scars have altered sensitivity, so do I.

My dog is a warm, fuzzy, loving, vulnerable, ever cute and cuddly creature, sometimes independent, mostly dependent, willful, undisciplined but somehow always forgiven when she needs love symbolizing what human companionship should be though there be those that believe dogs lack humanity, emotion, feelings yet are more human than humans deserve or realize.

The praying mantis for being stealthy and deadly a graceful creature. The essence of survival. The scorpion certain types can kill an animal 100,000 times it's size with just a pin head full of poision. Symbolizes how unbalanced nature can be. I chose creatures because we as people could learn a lot more about our own life struggles.,if we understood nature beter. So my choice is not a material thing but a observing thought.

I used to get drunk on metaphor and symbolism as if they were wine.

I've sobered up.

Lotuses, because they thrive in mud and must push through it in order to grow. The beautiful ones that reach the water's surface have had to move through a lot of muck.

There are also two gemstones I connect with. One is Labradorite, a dull green color until light hits it -- and then it lights up vibrantly. The other is Hematite, which I used to think was metal until I found out it was a stone, and I always found it grounding to just hold a piece in my hand, also even before finding out what it was.

Nature in general and particularly mountains..

Off teh top of my head - babies - any baby at all - thinking of their journey ahead and wondering if it will be a mostly pleasant one.

Great question, something to ponder on my road trip today! Interesting that without all that pressure, the stable phase of carbon is graphite. Completely different stuff.

Wow, several levels for me on this one. First, the main "things" I find meaningful are because of their connection to a person, usually a loved person.

Then I feel a relationship toward certain animal types, almost a totem concept, for I admire the traits, insofar as I know them. Perhaps similar to how you feel about diamonds. ( I personally don't care for the history of them, but that's a different thread)

Flight. Flying. Floating. If reincarnation is true, I was either a bird, or will be one.

I had a dream as a young child that I was riding on the back of a giant feathered bird; it left an indelible mark on my psyche. I don't know what archetype it relates to, but it sure is deep in my reptilian brain. Every time I watch a video I've shot with my drone, time stands still for me.

Stars that are there even when you can’t see them - day or night above a cloudy sky, smiling and laughing so hard your face hurts, eyes in the back of your head, an ear, a heart, a helping hand, a shoulder to cry on, a hug, a kiss, a feeling that you miss. A best friend.

Eternity. I am less than nothing compared to the infinity of time. Still, here I be.

The way nature works

The Satan and Judas stories. I often feel vilified for speaking the truth.

I don't think we know anything of itself. All our knowledge is relational. This is like that, which is like that and different from this. Metaphor is indispensible to our creation of meaning as well as a colorful means of description. But yes, It can get a bit silly.

A sailing vessel, and its parts. The sails, with their positive capacity to move the boat forward, and their negative capacity to knock the boat over (politically liberal connotations). The ballast keel, with its positive capacity to keep the boat upright and on track, and its negative capacity to sink the boat (politically conservative connotations). The rudder’s representation of choice, or self determination. The anchor that keeps the boat from being swept away by its other natural proclivities. How the tensions between these various components ultimately work together to make the craft useful instead of only beautiful and terrifying, etc.

One of my favorite little books, “The Tao of Sailing” by Ray Grigg, is full of insightful sailing metaphors. Of late I am becoming aware of more and more useful metaphors in other religious mythologies, and how important it is to not interpret them literally.

From my slightly mystical side, I will be sure I tell you I have a passion for them too. Gemstones are said to be related to different planets. Gemstones are said to vibrate at a frequency of the planet they are attracted to. That is why the birthstone deal started. I have a book on crystals and their meanings. Crystals also have different meanings. For instance Rose quartz is great for self-esteem and self love. At one time I use to carry a pocket of rose quartz . Strangers would start to talk to me about all their problems. I would give them a rose quartz. People who are ill I, in some way usually seek me out. Gemstones are great to become knowledgeable about. They have healing powers.Besides, if nothing else, they are interesting if you believe or disbelieve. I love them. I just love them for their glorious beauty and the lore they carry.The have been considered to have properties since way way back in hstory

A material item? Dumbells, barbells, lifting machines, weight benches. Otherwise anything that 'symbolically' gives me a good laugh or a good cry.

Peace on earth

My life... the beauty in my life... the close relationships in my life. The life of my children. They will always be my children. I write things and never memorize them. On time of big trouble... I go back to read things I did... I am surprised by my sensitivity, how and what lead me to write what I wrote... Suddenly my troubles are not that big. I had rescued me myself into a better future with a visit from my past. I don't believe in time travel yet... It is what I do on my time of big trouble and what rescues me. My humble take.

Oh, let's see - take a wild guess?? OTTERS!! River otters, seaotters, giant otter of Peru to tiny Asian otters.

Eternity. I am less than nothing compared to the infinity of time. Still, here I be.