Sparrow

I walked at the park last Sunday and I came upon a little sparrow in the middle of the road. Her back was facing me so I bent down and with my index finger and thumb picked her up. I was amazed she let me. Her body felt warm under my fingers. Her eyes were open and I said to her...are you doing okay? I then felt her wanting to move, so I placed her in the grass(there was not that much grass exposed with all the snow piled up). I blessed her and sent her love and walked on. On my way back, I looked for her but she was gone. I hope she made it. I have thought about this a lot since Sunday. What a gift she gave me! I was feeling weary of the cold, the snow and COVID and she showed me that grace is all around me, and to not despair. I looked up the meaning of sparrow as a spirit animal and they remind us to be happy, joyful and compassionate towards other people. They also teach us the importance of the group we belong to and the need to adapt jand creatively solve problems in various life situations. Just what I needed on that Sunday morning walk.

Autumn of my life

I took an online course last year entitled "Bowl of Wellbeing"   Every month a different theme.  There were about 12 ladies participating from all over the world.  One of them lived in Colorado.  We had opportunities to share things online, such as poems, articles, books, thoughts, etc.  The following is from Norma Jill.  It really spoke to me and actually makes me want to almost cry each time I read it:

"....I am feeling the autumn of my life.  Not in a morbid way, rather in a serene, gentle movement from haste to slowness, from quest to acceptance.  For the first time I no longer feel the need to hide every wrinkle, rather I honor them for the lessons learned along the way.  Menopause has come and gone, the children have grown strong and independent, a grand career has ended, beloved parents have departed while new life has come--nothing seems urgent, days are somewhat predictable, deep friendships remain, and life, even with its challenges, is sweet.  If I died tomorrow, I would hope my family would say I had a rich and full life, NOT that I am ready to go, but I have few complaints and a multitude of blessings."

 Such words of wisdom.

No Difference

I LOVE this by Shel Silverstein from the book "Where the Sidewalk Ends"

NO DIFFERENCE

Small as a peanut,
Big as a giant,
We're all the same size
When we turn off the light.

Rich as a sultan,
Poor as a mite,
We're all worth the same
When we turn off the light.

Red, black or orange,
Yellow or white,
We all look the same
When we turn off the light.

So maybe the way
To make everything right
Is for God to just reach out
And turn off the light!

She speaks slowly

"She speaks slowly with a voice like moss, soft, deep and damp.
If you're not listening carefully you might just miss it, rising out from the earth
like vapour, gently tugging at your ankles. 
REST she says.  DEEPER.  Rest as deep as I am.  You are moving too fast.  Become soil, become the slow-growing tree.  Send your roots deep into the rich darkness where they can truly be nourished.
Winter is sanctuary and you are weary.  Come drink of my stillness and dream in the dark earth."
                                                                                         
                                                                                                              Emily Pearce

Leonard Cohen

Ring the bells that still can ring,
Forget your perfect offering
There's a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in


If you do not become the ocean, you will be sea-sick everyday.

Baptized

From the book Spiritual Literacy

"A son was baptized.  The baptism taught him what was sacred.  He was given a seashell, so you'll learn to love the water.  A cage was opened and a bird was set free, so you'll learn to love the air.  A geranium was given, so you'll learn to love the earth.  A little bottle sealed up tight was given...don't ever, ever, open it.  So you'll learn to love mystery."   
                                                                                       Eduardo Galeano

3 ways

From a Courier Journal article by J K McNight

3 ways to straighten our lives out:  MORE NATURE, MORE FRIENDS, FEWER SCREENS.

A 2017 UK study found 75% of children spend more time indoors than prison inmates. 

Balance is everything.  From the moment of conception, our bodies must maintain the right balance of fluids, gases, nutrients and temperature to grow, survive and thrive.  Today our lives are out of balance.  Too much time in cars, cubicles and conference rooms, not enough time in nature.  Too much screen time, not enough human time.  The largest study of adult development in history determined that relationships, not genetics, are the No. 1 factor in determining happiness and longevity.