SURROUNDED BY NATURE

 

I am grateful to be surrounded by nature….

from the ground to the river and oceans to the sky above…

because she constantly reminds me what’s important

and helps me build my life among those I love.

THE WHOLE WORLD IS A GARDEN

 

May we be blessed to heed Frances Hodgson Burnett’s words…

She understood there is a way to ensure our hearts will never harden…

“If you look the right way you can see…” she said

“The whole world is a garden.”

And when we truly use our eyes and heart we’ll see

the beauty of our garden is in its diversity.

TAKE A HIKE

 

 It was a beautiful wintery day in the mountains…(some days seem almost dreamlike)

when we decided to drive to the Oconaluftee Valley and take a mid-day hike.

This valley is one of our favorite spots in the mountains…

It’s where the Cherokee have left their mark…

and now serves as North Carolina’s main entrance 

to The Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

There is a hike we love to take…in the summer we’re in shorts

but today we’re in coats and jeans…

We hike through the woods by the river…

by the way…by the river is what Oconaluftee means.

 

It’s a peaceful walk…where we can stroll as slowly as we please

taking time to enjoy the music of the birds, the river and the trees. 

It’s an easy hike in the woods…where we slowly amble through…

stopping by the river every now and then to skip a stone or two.

If you’re lucky you may even see some elk…keeping your distance as they pass

through the trees to take a drink from the river…or to graze on the valley’s grass.

On this day we were lucky…we shared our hike with the trees an occasional bird

and not with one or two elk…but with their entire herd.

Most were grazing in the grass but up ahead of us was a beautiful female

who had finished grazing and stopped to rest by the river…

completely blocking the trail.

This meant our hike was cut a little short…because we are aware.

this is her home not ours….and we were merely visitors there.

But we did stop to take in the majesty of this herd

and to once again thank nature for allowing us to see

by her river, her trees and her elk…the beauty of her extended family.

The beauty of a hike in nature is once you’ve finished you want to hike some more

It matters not how many times you’ve hiked this path before.

Even if it’s on a trail by a river with a beautiful Cherokee name…

you find by the simple diversity of nature…no two hikes will ever be the same.

DAILY GRATITUDE OPENING PRESENTS

 

I am grateful before I ever blow a candle 

or open a present

for being blessed

to take a moment to remember

all the wonders I already possess

CHRISTMAS MESS

 

May we be blessed to understand 

one of the most beautiful messes we make…

(which in itself is a keepsake)

is the mess we leave around the house 

once we’ve eaten, unwrapped presents and played…

on Christmas Day.

So I suggest after the celebration is over…

before this holiday fades into the past….

that you sit and enjoy the mess a while…

and not clean it up too fast.

TWO DIRECTIONALLY CHALLENGED REINDEER

 

The other day we noticed two reindeer leaping around our back yard

As back and forth through the woods they crossed…

they looked upset and a little confused…I got the feeling they were lost.

“Excuse me, Miss Reindeers.” I yelled. “I don’t mean to startle you.

but I was wondering if you’re lost and if so is there anything I can do?”

Hearing my words caused them to freeze…

then one of the reindeer turned her head and stared up through the trees.

“That’s very kind of you.” she answered.  “My name is Donner, this is Blitzen 

We’ve been on vacation and we’ve seem to have lost our way….

“We’re looking for the North Pole…we need to help pull Santa’s sleigh.”

“Is this the North Pole?” She asked. “And why isn’t there any snow?”

“I’m afraid not, Donner.” I answered. 

“This is North Carolina…you still have a long way to go.”

“Oh my.” She said.  “Blitzen and I do get lost quite easily…

It’s why Santa puts us behind all the other reindeer on his sleigh…

He knows we are directionally challenged…

so he lets Dasher, Dancer and Rudolph lead the way.

“Why aren’t the two of you flying back? I asked.

She smiled “That magic is saved for Christmas Eve.

on the one night across the world where everyone believes.”

“Wait here.” I said running into the house and coming out with a map

“You are hear.” I pointed. “Up her is the North Pole…in between is a pretty big gap.”

“Santa!” I pleaded closing my eyes….”If you can hear me I want you to know I believe.”

‘I’ll give Donner and Blitzen this map but they’ll need your help to get home by Christmas Eve."

“Come on Santa…just this once you can change the rules…what do you say?”

With that Donner and Blitzen with map in hooves…smiled and flew away.

“Don’t forget to follow the map!” I shouted feeling blessed to have made a connection

with the only two off Santa’s reindeer born with a poor sense of direction.

Once they were gone I quickly wrote a note to Santa 

and mailed it first class to his North Pole address…

‘Dear Santa’ I wrote, 'how about this Christmas you give Donner and Blitzen

their very own GPS!’

DAILY GRATITUDE HATE

 

In this time of uncertainty, anger, hatred, prejudice and fear

I am grateful for all the people who stand up and say

your hate is not welcome here.

Who say to all those who are feeling the pain

of other’s anger, hatred, prejudice and fear…

with an open mind an open heart and open arms

you all are welcome here.

OUR GOODNESS

 

May we be all we blessed with goodness…

for I happen to think it’s true

that there is goodness inside all of us…

inside of me…

inside of you…

And for those who have let your hate overshadow your goodness

who have chosen to live on the dark side of the moon…

for the sake of every living creature on this Earth

May you be blessed to find your goodness soon.

OUR LITTLE CORNER OF THE WORLD

 

It saddens me in the season of love giving

that the world is filled with so much hate and bigotry and fear.

actually it’s not only this season

it saddens me every day throughout the year.

But I will do my best to keep other’s hate and bigotry and fear

away from me….

to keep it away from this little corner of the world 

I’ve carved out for myself, my friends and my family.

We try to keep things very simple…in the corner we’ve designed….

We look for people who are loving accepting…compassionate and kind. 

In our little corner we want every person to know

we want them all to hear…

If you are kind and loving to everyone you meet…

you will always be welcome here

In our little corner of the world we want everyone to know

whether you’ve traveled near or far

you will be welcomed and accepted and loved…

for exactly who you are.

In our little corner of the world we learn to read each other’s eyes.

It’s a connection to the truth…where we find the heart 

and where our happiness lies.

In our little corner of the world our feelings…we do not hide.

which means our sadnesses are divided and our joys are multiplied. 

By keeping love alive in the little corner of the world in which we dwell

we hope that love might find it’s way to your little corner of the world as well.

We believe if acceptance and understanding become the norm…

and only words of love, compassion and kindness are hurled…

then….one day…everyone will be welcome

into every little corner of the world.

DAILHY GRATITUDE THE MOON

 

 Today I am grateful for the moon

as she shines on from high above.

Grateful not only for the beauty she possesses

but for what she teaches us about love…

How she reminds us…

as only the moon can do…

that our love for one another can remain strong

with every change or phase we’re going through.

LOSING SLEEP

 

May we be blessed to understand

those nights we cannot sleep…

may be less problematic than they seem

It could mean, as some Native Nations people believe,

that we are awake in someone else’s dream.

RESTING MOON

 

The other morning dark and early…when I walked outside I had to stop

because across the distance shining brightly 

was the the full moon resting on a mountain top.

And even though I don’t speak moon…I felt the time was right

to thank her for illuminating the ground and brightening up my night.

Before I had a chance speak however…from my roost in our cabin among the trees

a tiny smile crossed her face…and she said ‘Hello’ to me.

‘Hello!” I said politely returning her greeting…and her smile…

I’m glad you decided to sit atop that mountain…and rest there for a while…

“You are so beautiful.” I continued…and each night you show your’e beauty differently

I know because I’ve seen you set here in the mountains…

by lakes, and rivers and the sea”

“Yes.” She said. “It takes so much of my energy when I am full and at my best…

that I love to cool off in the ocean…or sit atop a mountain…and take a little rest.” 

We talked about a lot of things…about her phases

about how she can look so huge one moment

and the next moment seem so small

and along the way I happily realized 

I can speak a little moon’s language after all.

Then we said goodbye and I watched her jump down from the mountain top 

and drift slowly out of sight…

“Because,” she said, “it’s time for me to brighten someone else’s night.”

There is so much about nature we don’t know….

so much of her wisdom for which we yearn….

so many things that she can teach us…so much from her we’ve yet to learn…

One way to make sure her teaching and our learning will never stop

would be to speak with the moon more often

Like when she cools off in the ocean…

or while she rests upon a mountain top.