I have a squirrel who comes to eat in my back yard. One day, I realized he was injured. I could see a large red spot on the end of his left front leg. but couldn’t get close enough to examine it. I found myself watching for him every day and noticed the red area getting smaller. Now it is gone and it is obvious that he has lost use of his left hand. It just hangs there and he eats with his right hand. When he runs he uses the joint above it (his wrist?) to lean on. He’s a survivor. The other thing that comes to mind is watching the cycle of the trees. It’s finally getting cold enough to change the colors of the leaves. We can learn so much about our own life from the cycle of the seasons which is always reflected in the trees in NE Kansas where we have all four seasons of weather. Several years ago, I wrote a poem about what the trees have taught me. I share it below:
The Wisdom of Trees by Carol Ann Conner
The Cycle of the Seasons
teaches us about beliefs.
It teaches us that they are like leaves
on the Tree of Life.
Every Spring they appear,
young, innocent, and green.
They dress the barren branches
with new life.
They nurture the tree
and purify the air for us,
absorbing toxins and
releasing life-giving oxygen.
Then in a sacrificial blaze
of autumn color,
they fall, hugging the earth,
and enriching its soil.
They become
a loving sacrifice
to feed the roots
of a greater awareness.
Thank you, Holly. What a kind thing to say. I’m reading a book that has been in my home library for many years. I reread it from time to time. I bet your local library could get it for you on library loan if they don’t have it on their shelves. It’s called “The Way to Love” and it’s written by Anthony de Mello. I think you would enjoy it very much. Blessings, Carol
Blossom, I have de Mello’s book “Awareness” and it is a wonderful book. You can find a pocket size edition of de Mello’a “The Way to Love” on Amazon at a very reasonable price.
The sound of wind rustling through leaves, its tender touch to the beauty of all nature around, the sound it creates when a soft breeze let the weaves arrive at the shore along the beach where I walked barefoot in the sand, or hearing the birds start to sing just when the daylight arrives.
Trees, canopy of branches and leaves covering me as I walk through. The wonder of the years of the tree with its tell tale bark and markings. Ocean tides changing -coming and receding as i am able to dip feet in….standing in an ocean cove and the feel of the incoming tide…rush of streams over old rocks and sand…the river winding away and hidden by the meandering curves and trees at its banks…the humming moth…so silent, so busy, so elegant…soft grass under feet….scent of rosa rugosa and lilacs…
Night-moon or no moon…constellations. I know I will be out on the deck or in the pasture in a lounge chair wrapped up in a down coat and sleeping bag…just a feeling of peace and connection….and wondering who is watching with me somewhere else in the dark.
I wish I could have you all with me….those of you who would want to be there. For me, it is better experience to share…
6 deer crossed near my house. My neighbor patiently waited for them to walk by her car…she “shooed” a little one who was not keeping up . Instead of the baby going with the group, she came to investigate my friend….mother doe stomped her foot and the baby left the side of the car….all these things make me feel alive and well and joyful.
This whole lovely little blue planet. I wonder at the way it is swept up in the vortex of our sun, like a speck of dust. Then I wonder as our sun in turn takes on dust size proportions as it too is swept along in the vortex of something much larger. It, is all part of the cosmic murmuration. Here is an example for those not familiar with the term: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV54oa0SyMc
The interconnectedness of all things is an inspiration.
As an example on a game reserve in Africa we learned how delicate the balance nature is – and how necessary all things are for life.
We were taught there needed to be enough plants for the nyala and enough nyala for the carnivores such as cheetahs and lions.
Initially we thought how cruel this was that some of the cute nyala would be food, but after watching cute baby cheetahs with nothing to eat for a few days, and the guide telling us if mama cheetah doesn’t make a kill in the next day, the babies will die, we realized that there is a web of life. We understood the balance of nature in a new way and we decided to be more grateful for the plants and the animals that make up our food.
The energy and inexplicable trust inside of me that helps me grow, is just like the energy and miraculous pulse of Mother Earth and all her majesty. I would sell it short if I tried to put it on one thing.
“Look up at the sky and let your heart get that big,
Put your ear to the earth and listen to the grass grow.
The earth and the sky will save you, again and again”
author unknown
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Watching those lone clouds in the high altitude at sunset. There is beauty in the solace.
Watching geese land in V-formation on a pond once drove a multitude of depressed and resentful thoughts out of my head.
A wood of deciduous trees, dolphins jumping in the boat wake, mountains, a glistening sea, the dog in his slumber
The aspects of interrelatedness and regeneration are deeply inspiring.
😊 Yes they are, aren’t they? ❤
The sound of crashing body of water.
Carol, I love your poem.
I have a squirrel who comes to eat in my back yard. One day, I realized he was injured. I could see a large red spot on the end of his left front leg. but couldn’t get close enough to examine it. I found myself watching for him every day and noticed the red area getting smaller. Now it is gone and it is obvious that he has lost use of his left hand. It just hangs there and he eats with his right hand. When he runs he uses the joint above it (his wrist?) to lean on. He’s a survivor. The other thing that comes to mind is watching the cycle of the trees. It’s finally getting cold enough to change the colors of the leaves. We can learn so much about our own life from the cycle of the seasons which is always reflected in the trees in NE Kansas where we have all four seasons of weather. Several years ago, I wrote a poem about what the trees have taught me. I share it below:
The Wisdom of Trees by Carol Ann Conner
The Cycle of the Seasons
teaches us about beliefs.
It teaches us that they are like leaves
on the Tree of Life.
Every Spring they appear,
young, innocent, and green.
They dress the barren branches
with new life.
They nurture the tree
and purify the air for us,
absorbing toxins and
releasing life-giving oxygen.
Then in a sacrificial blaze
of autumn color,
they fall, hugging the earth,
and enriching its soil.
They become
a loving sacrifice
to feed the roots
of a greater awareness.
Yes, ” feeding the roots of greater awareness… “Thank you for sharing this poem on trees.
Very good! Thank you for sharing the poem…I love trees, so this is really special to me….
Thanks, Mary Pat, Glad you enjoyed the poem.
Wow, Carol. Your poetry is always so lovely, so meaningful. I would love to hold a book of your poems in my hand. ❤
Thank you, Holly. What a kind thing to say. I’m reading a book that has been in my home library for many years. I reread it from time to time. I bet your local library could get it for you on library loan if they don’t have it on their shelves. It’s called “The Way to Love” and it’s written by Anthony de Mello. I think you would enjoy it very much. Blessings, Carol
I have read the book “Awareness” by Anthony de Mellow a dozen times. Thank you for the reminder.
Blossom, I have de Mello’s book “Awareness” and it is a wonderful book. You can find a pocket size edition of de Mello’a “The Way to Love” on Amazon at a very reasonable price.
Thank you, dear heart. I will look for it!!!!
Beauty, sustainability, balance, cycles, freshness, abundance, economy, ingenuity, renewal.
The more I learn and understand of nature, the more amazing it is to me and the more curious I become.
The sound of wind rustling through leaves, its tender touch to the beauty of all nature around, the sound it creates when a soft breeze let the weaves arrive at the shore along the beach where I walked barefoot in the sand, or hearing the birds start to sing just when the daylight arrives.
Trees, canopy of branches and leaves covering me as I walk through. The wonder of the years of the tree with its tell tale bark and markings. Ocean tides changing -coming and receding as i am able to dip feet in….standing in an ocean cove and the feel of the incoming tide…rush of streams over old rocks and sand…the river winding away and hidden by the meandering curves and trees at its banks…the humming moth…so silent, so busy, so elegant…soft grass under feet….scent of rosa rugosa and lilacs…
Night-moon or no moon…constellations. I know I will be out on the deck or in the pasture in a lounge chair wrapped up in a down coat and sleeping bag…just a feeling of peace and connection….and wondering who is watching with me somewhere else in the dark.
I wish I could have you all with me….those of you who would want to be there. For me, it is better experience to share…
6 deer crossed near my house. My neighbor patiently waited for them to walk by her car…she “shooed” a little one who was not keeping up . Instead of the baby going with the group, she came to investigate my friend….mother doe stomped her foot and the baby left the side of the car….all these things make me feel alive and well and joyful.
This whole lovely little blue planet. I wonder at the way it is swept up in the vortex of our sun, like a speck of dust. Then I wonder as our sun in turn takes on dust size proportions as it too is swept along in the vortex of something much larger. It, is all part of the cosmic murmuration. Here is an example for those not familiar with the term: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV54oa0SyMc
Trees trees and more trees.
Amen!!!
The interconnectedness of all things is an inspiration.
As an example on a game reserve in Africa we learned how delicate the balance nature is – and how necessary all things are for life.
We were taught there needed to be enough plants for the nyala and enough nyala for the carnivores such as cheetahs and lions.
Initially we thought how cruel this was that some of the cute nyala would be food, but after watching cute baby cheetahs with nothing to eat for a few days, and the guide telling us if mama cheetah doesn’t make a kill in the next day, the babies will die, we realized that there is a web of life. We understood the balance of nature in a new way and we decided to be more grateful for the plants and the animals that make up our food.
The energy and inexplicable trust inside of me that helps me grow, is just like the energy and miraculous pulse of Mother Earth and all her majesty. I would sell it short if I tried to put it on one thing.
“Look up at the sky and let your heart get that big,
Put your ear to the earth and listen to the grass grow.
The earth and the sky will save you, again and again”
author unknown
All trees. They are a miracle of nature and so lovely to look at. They clean the air and provide shade and food for wildlife.