When I Am Among the Trees

 

When I am among the trees,

especially the willows and the honey locust,

equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,

they give off such hints of gladness,

I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

 

I am so distant from the hope of myself,

In which I have goodness, and discernment,

and never hurry through the world

but walk slowly, and bow often.

 

Around me the trees stir in their leaves

and call out, “Stay awhile.”

The light flows from their branches.

 

And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,

“and you too have come

Into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled

with light, and to shine.”

Mary Oliver

Opening poem chosen and read by Nancy L.

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Softly

footfalls walking light

slowly lift, silently kiss

earth’s forgiving cheek.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watching the Lesson Unfold

proud strutting egret

clamping tight its wriggling catch

denies the lessons:

             

              you get to decide

              when the prize you hunted long

              is too much to bear;

             

              or, waiting too long

              to empty the hold, what’s held

              boldly slips your grasp.

 

The Fall

Stepping into a grove of unfamiliar,

branch gives way,

nothing to grasp,

ground catches

the full weight of surprise.

Scars reopen.

Free fall is rarely so.

 

Photos and poetry by Amy W.

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Destruction…

Renewal…

Persistence…

My intention for today (destruction, renewal and persistence) formatted itself as I walked along a path to be among the trees. I observed signs of destruction left from hurricane Mathew, renewal in the new growth of long needle pine trees producing new pine cones and persistence of the yellow jasmine to climb as high as forty feet above the ground. There are times in our own life where we can find ourselves in a similar cycle, requiring long periods of persistence. God’s time is not always our time.

Photos and reflection by Denise P.

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I was inspired by the words of Mary Oliver this morning… “walk slowly, and bow often… go easy, to be filled with light, and to shine.” It had been a difficult five weeks with family illness — but healing was emerging. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the natural world and the brilliance and light of the morning… I savored this wonder and felt so grateful for the many blessings in my life! Amongst this beauty and light were the numerous, delicate, dew-covered spider webs on the ground… a symbol for me of the fragility and interconnectedness of life. These spider webs would soon be invisible as the sun embraced the dew drops… 

With much gratitude

Light shining and reflecting

Fragile beauty heals. 

Photos and reflection by Nancy L.