The Voice of The Wilderness

My Grandmommie always said that nature was her sanctuary. She said that she could find God at the end of my Daddy's fishing dock just as quickly as she could in her hometown church. I am my Grandmommie's child.

Being an avid camper, I could not agree more. It is only through spending time, out in nature, that we can understand and fathom our connectedness. Through all the turmoil going on in this great country of ours, nature reminds me of her constancy, of her faithfulness. Mother Earth has been my friend since I drew my first breath and I need to spend time with her in order to feel whole.

One of the most important things revealed to me on one of our camping trips was to "notice the little things". That may sound so easy but it is not. You have to slow down to notice the little things. Do you know what happened when we did? All of a sudden, we saw bald eagles flying near our campground! We saw a hawk lifting in flight and I even captured it on film! We noticed the dragonflies bringing their messages. We noticed the night heron and how it would lift up every evening to leave the pond and go home to its nest. We even stopped to hear its call as it echoed through the darkening valley, searching for a mate! In short, we stopped and began to look for those things we had missed by being busy. We noticed the trees and how they each grew differently. We noticed the flower that grew through the rock, seeking sunlight and finding it! We stopped and listened as the coyotes serenaded us with their beseeching calls. When we did, we noticed the horses around us and how they listened as well. The deer that had wandered into our campground would stop and take heed too. Our vacation would never have been so soul-enriching had we not stopped and slowed down. There is something about connecting with our planet and appreciating and honoring all she has offered us!

We are custodians, guardians if you will, of one of the greatest gifts God has given us. Whatever your religion, or lack thereof, one cannot deny the pull of our magnificent home - Earth. I would urge you to spend some time in nature. Just sitting on a park bench can change your entire day. Walking in a beautiful garden can be a balm to your soul.

Watch a young child enjoy a park! Watch a dog or horse just running for the sheer joy of it! It is easy for all of us to get caught up in everyday happenings while losing sight of what really makes us human.

Stop. Breathe. I promise it will change things!

Until next time.....