Happiness is discovering treasures you forgot you own. Before heading to Asheville last month, I downsized to a smaller wallet and only took what I would need for that trip. That meant leaving behind a wallet stuffed with receipts and store loyalty cards.
When I went to locate some work receipts yesterday, I discovered a treasure trove. Mixed in with that wad of receipts was a $1 winning lottery ticket, two tickets to Franklin Park Conservatory, a punchcard for my favorite place to get a cheese and veggie sandwich, and a $20 bill.
Best of all, there was a card for a man I encountered in a very unusual conversation at a tire shop earlier this year. THAT is a story for another time but trust me when I say the memory made my day.
While some of these things have monetary value, that card simply holds a memory of a lesson and a conversation. Yet it was more important to me than the money.
One of the most incredible things in this world is a beautiful object reflected in water. It’s like magic.
Wherever I go, my eye tends to fixate on water and what it reflects. This image from the North Carolina Arboretum fascinates me because it’s so clear, vivid and calm. And yes, the surroundings were just as peaceful as it appears.
As you journey through this world, whether you’re near a large body of water or just a small puddle, take a second to see what’s reflected therein. It could give you a fresh perspective on a world you think you know so well.
We had some excitement last night, waiting for severe weather to move through the area. We were under a tornado watch for most of the evening until it got ramped up to a tornado warning.
Everything turned out fine where I live but it sounds like a tornado touched down in an area where I often hike and where I had intended to hike last night.
When my phone started buzzing with notice to take cover, I packed up Scout in his backpack carrier and we headed to my parents house where I spent the evening in a small bathroom with my folks, a German Shepherd named Fritz, and Scout’s carrier strapped to me while I relaxed in the bathtub.
Fritz and Scout didn’t understand what was happening but they were troopers. The other three cats who live with my parents hid out under the bed.
As of this writing, I’m unclear as to the damage elsewhere but the power outage map is pretty comprehensive.
Since I tend to find humor at inappropriate moments, I’ll tell you that I had to giggle at one point. I went to meet a tornado dressed in hiking clothes and a sun hat with my cat and a big purse filled with snacks, water, a book and my journal.
Clearly, my priorities are straight. At least I had a book and cat.
When the tornado warning was downgraded to a severe thunderstorm warning, Scout and I headed home to our dark house. While we don’t know how long the power will be out, I was happy to just have a home to return to when others may not be so lucky.
It was then that I saw a good omen- a rainbow so large I couldn’t capture it all in one photo.
Here’s one more look.
What’s the old saying? Don’t fear the storm for the rainbow’s never far behind.
“This grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never all dried at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor ever rising.” John Muir
There’s nothing better than a farm fresh egg early in the morning. My Aunt Eileen’s chickens have been ambitious producers lately so I’ve been enjoying her eggs for the last several mornings.
She has a yard full of beautiful flowers and interesting things to see including wisteria and some clematis that were in bloom that day. A host of other lovelies will soon brighten her world.
The flag at the end of her driveway and the barn up the road caught my attention too.
We didn’t stay long but visiting her place is always enjoyable because it’s part family history lesson and part lesson in plants and flowers. Plus, we got eggs!
When I think of time spent outdoors, the words that come to mind involve peace and solitude. As I have aged, I have come to recognize the outdoors as a place to seek spirituality and a connection to my own self.
The human spirit and heart need places that have not been altered by human progress. We need places where the only expectation is that we breathe.
Go to the forest. Walk until you can hear no more car engines or people talking. Plant your feet upon the ground and stand tall and with confidence like a rooted tree.
Close your eyes and breathe in and out slowly. Feel your blood pressure lower. Now open your eyes and lift your face toward the heavens. Watch as the wind rustles through the leaves above. Listen for the mighty bullfrog, the delicate cricket and the rhythmic woodpecker in the distance.
Listen. Look. Breathe. Repeat.
Study your surroundings and the way the light hits a hillside, transforming one patch of vegetation into something lovely, bright and vibrant in contrast to the other side of the hill which remains dark and mysterious.
Look down and notice the pebbles and dirt beneath your feet. Study the stray leaves and bird feathers along your path.
Do this enough and you will understand that you are traveling a path that is designed just for you. Not the one the world tries to tell you is right or that you imagined for yourself.
Your path, your peace, your soul.
People need natural spaces. People need the quiet of the forest. People need the bubbling rhythm of a stream to wash away their worries. People need clean air to cleanse their minds.
You need these things.
Trust me when I say that the stress, grief or other difficulties you face won’t magically go away just because you stand in the woods. However, your ability to cope and to face the challenges of your life will be infinitely improved when you spend time in nature.
Some people go into the woods to get lost. Personally, I go to find myself. I feel more like me when I spend time with nature.
It’s like a good workout, therapy and church service rolled into one. Don’t believe me? Go to the woods and find out for yourself.
