Spring Means New Beginnings

 

On this day, I simply want to BE - to soak up some sun and enjoy the spectacular views. Sitting on a grassy bluff surrounded by towering madrone and Douglas fir trees, I gaze across the vast expanse of sand exposed by the receding tide. Beyond the sands lay the waters of Georgia Strait, snow-capped mountains of mainland British Columbia forming a dramatic backdrop. Closing my eyes briefly, I hear the soft swish of the wind in the trees and feel the warmth of the sun on my face. We have come here for rest and relaxation - what a day to be alive!

 

We have come through the long season of darkness. Some of us may carry heavy burdens and feel no relief with this passage of time. But we are still here as the days lengthen and the earth warms.

As Easter people, we have passed through a time of sadness and grief and come forward into the light of new hope. Once again, we witness a season of newness and rebirth.

In the woods blooms appear on Indian plum, salmonberry, red flowering current and Oregon grape, while redwood sorrel, trillium, and delicate Pacific bleeding heart brighten the forest floor.

 

 

In our yards forsythia, dogwood, rhododendron, bluebells, tulips, and many others burst forth in various colors and scents.

 

We drift off to sleep with the peeping of frogs and awake to the singing of birds, which are already nesting and caring for young; young fawns will soon be seen with their cautious mothers.

 

Dusty, bug-gnawed leaves will be seen later, but now all new growth appears shiny-bright and squeaky-clean.

 

We anticipate all that is new: a landscape full of surprises, a first-born child, a joining of lives in marriage.  Still to come are graduations, anniversaries, and celebrations we’ve yet to plan. Rejoice in this, for as spring progresses with wave after wave of sprouting, unfolding, and blooming we are led toward the full-fledged burgeoning of summer. After our dark, cool, wet winters who does not welcome that?

It is a time to savor and enjoy. There is much to be learned from the never-ending cycle of seasons, for we can – each of us – begin anew; we can be refreshed, changed, improved.

 

If there are things undone, we can do them. If we owe an apology or need to make amends, we can do that. If we are weary, we can rest. We can get our affairs in order; if necessary, we can say our good-byes. We can change our household, our appearance, our habits, our state of mind, our outlook or attitude. We can change our actions, or finally act at all. We can accept that challenge, take on that task, meet that new person, or send that letter. We can make that call, visit that friend, and hold that hand. This is a time of renewal and second chances - thank GOD we have those.

 

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

Isaiah 43:18-19

 

Snow Birds' Return

There are those we know, retirees, who spend their winters "down south". They drive or fly to Arizona, New Mexico, California, or Hawaii to escape the cloudy, wet days that make up our winters here in the Pacific Northwest. Some in the Northeast go to Florida to avoid the snow and cold. Those who are younger, or still working, may take a cruise or mid-winter vacation to places of sun and warmth. It is to be expected; human climatic migrations are eons old. The grass is always greener - no, sunnier and warmer perhaps - than it is here. 

 

We are drawn to other places for what we perceive as a better climate, but also for a change of scene, an adventure, a look at the world outside of our usual domain that will increase our understanding. And, interestingly, if we go often and far enough, what we really discover is ourselves. For if we find the people here cool and unfriendly, those are the people we will find in New Mexico. If we are unmotivated, bored, and find little of interest here, California will be more of the same. Unusual and unseasonal heat, rain, snow, and storms are as likely to hit Arizona and Hawaii as they are anywhere else. Likewise, we will probably respond there in the same way we do here - by complaining about the weather...

If we know how to find contentment, yet stimulating challenges, within our everyday lives, then we will find these things wherever we are. If our life is full of adventure, we'll carry that with us. If we are grateful for what we have, refusing to constantly want for more and more, our travels will always be more about experiences than about things.

 

  

It really is, to some degree at least, all about how we view and adjust to our lives wherever we may be. Granted, some surroundings may please us more than others, but we all know people who seem to shine no matter their circumstances. We also know some who are never content, regardless of how well-off they may appear. And so getting away from it all to some other environment is more than a nice change of pace - it is a way to better discover who we really are.

 

 

Here in the Pacific Northwest, the Spring Peeper frogs are again filling the nights with their songs. There is a stirring in the land, a subtle warming and gradual advancement of daylight. Plant buds are swelling, birds are singing, insects are increasingly creeping about and those gentle rains sprinkle down on everything. The gardeners among us are tending to trees, planting new specimens, busily planning summer gardens; resurrection surrounds us.

 

 

No doubt, many "snow birds" we know will soon be returning here. Perhaps it is warming a bit too much for them where they've spent the winter, the climate does not look as good now as it did a few months ago, or they simply long or need to return home. Those of us who have remained here - for various reasons - will welcome them with open arms. For they are a part of our larger extended family and, if they are friends of ours, we already know who they really are. Rain or not - welcome home!
 

 

"I will send down showers in season;
there will be showers of blessing.

The trees of the field will yield their fruit
and the ground will yield its crops..."

Ezekiel 34:26-27

 

A Gift of Place - and Time

Time passes -

And with it

Nothing remains the same

From moment to moment

Day to day

Season to season

Year to year

And so enjoy

This meager gift

However insignificant

Gleaned from the woods

Of this place and time

Nothing is meant

To Last forever

So when you tire of it

Return it to the woods

For it is only a small

And humble token

Plucked from one

Moment in time

In this special place

It cannot be kept

Just as it is

For these dry bits

- And you -

Have already changed

And are moving on

Ever re-cycling

To another time

Another place -

Memories of Rainier

August 2012

Space in My Heart

An empty area

(usually bounded in some way between things)

It was interesting that I found it where I did - at the "end of the line" so to speak. There, on one of the multitude of rocks scattered along the edge of the river, I happened upon it quite by accident...

I have no idea who placed it there, but there was no doubt as to what it was - a perfectly shaped heart formed of small colored rocks. It was not alone, having been carefully placed about equidistance from two other formations placed on other rocks: a grouping of bright green leaves, weighed down by a smaller rock, and two words formed of small pebbles , "te amo" - I love you.

After many years of dreaming, this past Fall my husband and I finally made it to a few of the American Southwest's most spectacular national parks. That particular day was our time to "do" Zion, in southwest Utah, and we were more than ready to see it. We had begun early, catching a shuttle bus and leisurely riding to the far end of the road to take the Riverside Walk along the North Fork of the Virgin River.

The day was perfect for hiking - crisp, clear, and quiet. This trail is an easy one and winds along the river for a mile before the river becomes the trail. We did not plan to continue up the river, so took our time simply enjoying all that nature had to offer there.

At the point where the trail ended, we visited with a few other hikers and watched the more adventuresome ones take to the Narrows Trail up the river. Although I do enjoy visiting, I'm one who also just enjoys the great outdoors as it is, which is often fairly quiet. And so, while my husband continued visiting, I wandered along the river, taking in all of its nuances, which led me to the small heart.

An area reserved

for some particular purpose

And so, as is often the case with me, my mind began to wander - to the who, where, and why of things. Had young lovers passed this way earlier, finding it impossible to pass up the opportunity to express themselves to each other? Perhaps it had been the playful creation of children, or of visitors from some other place in the world, immersing themselves in the freedom of an area much different from their everyday lives. Was this a message left for someone in particular or for anyone who happened to find it?

I found odd assortments of pebbles on other rocks - were there more formations or "messages" to be found? In the end, I decided that it really didn't matter who put it there, or why; what did matter was how it affected me. I have seen a great many pictures of heart forms that others have found in nature and I know that some people specifically look for those. I am not one of them. I can think of only one other time and place where I saw one. Those two times, and others unrelated, have moved me profoundly because these are messages we all need to receive.

The interval between two times

What, exactly, is the human "heart"? Is it the same as a soul or something different - something pulsing, sustaining, feeling, empathizing, growing, shrinking, opening and closing? I do know that I follow mine often, and have since I was a child. Being raised in the "Big Sky" country of Montana, I was surrounded by open space.

Surely influenced in part by this land, my parents encouraged a certain amount of openness in me - honesty, loyalty, understanding, acceptance, and trustworthiness. Do not lie, especially when you're at fault; always do what you say you'll do; be patient and kind with all, especially those who are less fortunate - physically, mentally, and emotionally. Do what you think is the right thing, even if your friends do not; look deep inside and follow your heart - if you are conscientious you will not go wrong. I have found that, although it is not nearly that simple, all of this is pretty good advice.

Any location

outside the Earth's atmosphere

No matter how big my heart might be, it cannot function alone - neither can I. I treasure the times when I can be alone, but am seldom lonely, for I am full to the brim with friends and family. I treasure and enjoy those who are nearby; those who are not here are still with me, in my thoughts, my memories, my heart... Most of all, there is that supreme power, infinite wisdom, God, whatever you wish to call it, that surrounds, grounds, and connects me. I do not pretend to understand what this power is all about, but it do believe that it creates a vast amount of space within my heart - and within yours. It is up to us to fill it.

The unlimited expanse

in which everything is located

"The boundless regions of the infinite."

Words in bold italics are from:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/space

TIME at the Lake

In the early morning hours, as the sun creeps up to lighten the sky, a gossamer mist rises silently from the glass-smooth water. Shake the sleep from your eyes and go - walk quietly, passing beneath tall, stately fir and cedar, brushing past huckleberry and salal still awash with the morning’s dew. Approach it with a reverence befitting the mighty creation it is - when you are near its edge simply sit, listen, and BE. There is a hush, a silence so encompassing that it will envelop you and lay your soul bare.

I need a break from the busyness of life. There is always so much to do and my list seems endless. Mostly, this is my own doing, for I am definitely a doer. Work, family, church, home, garden and social commitments keep me going, going, going... I am fortunate, as I am at a stage in my life when I can (for the most part) decide what I will and will not do. I keep busy because I want to, for I savor life and want to give much and get as much out of it as I can. But I know that to keep building, I need to “sharpen the saw” every so often.

For me, that means stepping out of the daily routine and putting aside the usual load that I carry. I need to connect with friends, old and new. I enjoy spending a quiet morning beside the lake, sipping coffee and visiting with someone. So many things in this life take time. Nowadays, with our go, go, go life-style, it is easy to overlook this, but there simply is no shortcut - you need to take the time to get to know someone better.

I need the presence of children - their carefree laughter and exuberance. Through their eyes, I can again see the world as fresh and new, with daily adventures, challenges, and discoveries. Today’s children are kept so very busy that they, also, need the time and space to relax and unwind. To take each new day as it comes, complete with time to play - to explore the woods, splash in the water, row a boat, dangle a fishing line, share secrets, stories and games. They benefit from spending uninterrupted time with their parents, and with other caring adults as well - away from the TV, computer, video games, cell phone, and pager.

I need to share - to take and give with others in a safe, accepting atmosphere. To help prepare a meal, plan an activity, clean up, discuss a good book, explore my beliefs, listen to a concern, tell my story. These times together are far more important than we may realize, for it is in these precious moments snatched from the stream of the daily deluge of life, that we find our commonality, our community, our support for all that life throws at us.

I need this time spent at the lake - to wander the shady trails among the giant ferns and trees, to ponder this magnificent body of water left from the last ice age. I have come to know and love many of my church family members there. I have been refreshed, strengthened, unburdened, and motivated. I have learned much about others and myself, my strengths and weaknesses - and much about my faith. I have learned that God often speaks to me in a quiet voice, in the stillness of my heart.

Join us at the lake - breathe deep, quiet your mind and body, and listen - the voice will come.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he restores my soul.

Psalm 23:1 - 3