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
The trees were filled with snow and sparkled with light as we snowshoed the trail along the Kadunce River on Wednesday. We walked in silence taking in the beauty that surrounded us. It was as if the trees did call out as Oliver wrote, “Stay awhile” and so we did.
We paused to catch our breath on our climb up the river. Paused to listen to the gurgle of the water, singing to us in deep tones. Paused to watch the snow fall gently from the trees, glistening in the sunlight.
The time among the trees did save us that day, for it has been quite a year. As we move into this new year may we go easy with one another, knowing that so many ache. May we walk slowly and bow often for there is so much love and light to share.
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