BLUE HERON'S TRAIL

Spent the day yesterday, walking the Blue Heron Trail. It wasn’t a preplanned event, but it was the way my heart told me to go. And of course, the first thing  to greet me when I arrived at the marsh was the blue heron. 

 

The wind off the marsh was strong and made it hard for me to stand perfectly still, unlike the heron, who stood motionless, unmoved by the winds. It just stood there, peering deep into the water.

Though my heart was greatly drawn to the silent strength this bird was exhibiting, I was not as focused as the heron was, and was seeking shelter from the wind that was making it hard for me to even walk across the bridge.

I headed across the bridge to the other side, where there were many trails to explore. As I approached the other side, the thunder of the wind was silenced by a greater thunder - a shriek, which took me by surprise. A greater blue heron flew above me, calling, and as I watched it fly over, I noticed it flew in the direction of a path called The Blue Heron Trail. It wanted me to follow. It had called to me, so I would not miss where it wanted me to go.

 

So I chose to pursue my friend down the trail honoring its name and this encounter had me thinking even deeper. 

I walked, lost in thought, only to be brought around again by  other blue herons standing motionless, peering into the depths. Each heron I saw was deeper into the water than the one before it.

Emotions are a fluid thing, like the waters. There are times when it is necessary for us to look deeper into those emotional waters and examine closely what is there. It is necessary for healthy growth, to recognize what is there, what should be there and is not,  and what does not even belong there. It is a time to look honestly at the heart through the cloud of emotions and understand the reason(s) for the things we feel and align these feelings once again with truth.

 

I have been taught that the deeper the heron stands in water, the deeper our self-reflections should be. The heron is a good teacher in this way. It is a solitary bird, an intensely focused bird. It can teach us the way of quiet strength and self discovery as we look deeper into ourselves.

 

It takes great courage and focus to face our emotions sometimes. For the emotions can be tricky as much as they are delicate. In the deeper, clear waters much is seen:

like examining the places where the wings of the heart have been torn;

 

Or facing the pains of being pulled apart where we have felt vulnerable and exposed;

Or recognizing and understanding our motives that disguise themselves as something else;

 

Or feeling taken advantage of and trampled underfoot;

No matter how difficult it is to sort through emotional debris at times, the encouraging thing is that there is always room to continue growing.

By coming to the place where our feelings and truth align and balance, the heart will find a way.

It is often a slow process …

But the heron invites us into the deeper waters of reflection and encourages us to focus …

to take the time to sit motionless and examine ourselves from within, until all that reflects back at us, is pure beauty. 

 

COW CAPERS

My great grandmother lived on a farm in Tennessee. She had many cows. Of them, my favorite was the black and white one she had. I loved petting it. And time and time again she warned me to not stand behind this one because it would kick. I remember laughing to myself as she walked away, wondering what harm a sweet, old, docile cow could do ... right about the time I flew across the field and a hill broke my flight. Not seriously hurt, but very stunned, I deduced 2 things at the tender age of 6, the first being that older people may really know what they are talking about and second, a sweet, docile cow can kick you waaaay into another life. I hobbled away from the hill with a lot more respect for my great grandmother and a lot more respect for the cow.

That is a lesson and experience I will never forget, as is my time laying against the hillside the cow introduced me to, watching it watch me. And oh, how it watched me. So very early on I learned how very observant cows were. I will add that I had not moved to the rear of the cow after grandmother left. I was there the whole time, as she was. But that cow waited until she left. That cow knew an opportunity when it presented itself. It was fully aware.

But that is the way of the cow. They are highly perceptive and observant animals. They can sense things ... like golden "opportunities" ;), as well as weather changes or any danger they may be in. From them, I have learned what it means to be observant and aware of things around me. The cow is very strong and it is more than able to stand its ground when threatened (or just being plain ol ornery). To protect themselves from severe weather or threat, cows will move closer together. You can actually accurately predict the weather by how close the cows are to one another. The closer together they are, the worse the weather will be. I have learned from them that there is great strength in being able to stand our ground for what we believe to be true, regardless of what appears to be threatening us. It is this powerful strength of integrity that will enable  us to weather any storm and get us though any circumstance ... with maybe just a few mischievous capers to keep it all interesting. ;)

HEED THE HIPPO

One of my favorite plush toys as a child was a set of hugging hippos. A pink and a blue hippo embraced each other with velcro arms. So loveable and peaceful they presented themselves. But in reality, the hippo is neither. It is one of Africa’s most dangerous animals because of its size and strength, and the fact that it is so easily provoked.

Their size and behavior can be deceiving, in that it may suggest a slow, sluggish nature. But provoke a hippo and it becomes a master of agility, strength and speed.

Observing the hippo and thinking about its nature and temperament reminds me of how some people can be. I have met some angry, bitter people who are easily provoked and quick to attack, giving little thought to the words they speak or the actions they choose. Like the hippo, who is thin skinned and runs the risk of overheating if not completely submerged during the hot part of the day, an angry person is much the same way. They are impatient and intolerant and blow up at the slightest inconvenience.

I guess I should clarify that I realize anger in itself is not a bad thing. There is a good kind of anger that is productive and brings about positive change. But an unhealthy anger, allowed to breed resentment and bitterness will cause destruction wherever it rears its head. Hippo reminds us to take care, that when provoked, our words and actions do not become hurtful or destructive to ourselves or others. It invites us to submerge ourselves fully in deeper waters to see things from a clearer perspective, to see beneath the surface of things and examine our own motives.

Looks can be deceiving and so can be the secret world of festered emotion.

Heed the hippo.

WILES OF WISDOM

Squirrels are such a joy for me to watch. They are so animated and playful. In their own comical way,  both positive and negative, they are able to teach much by their example.

 

Squirrels have to be one of the chattiest creatures around. They chatter on and on and on. And to my amusement, I have learned from their persistent chatter the need (and appreciation) for silence. Too many words can cause us many problems … one being that it makes it hard for us to be accountable for what we have spoken, if we have said more than we can recall. Fewer words can keep us from using careless words by making promises we cannot keep. It teaches us the need to listen. For there is much unspoken language to be gathered from the heart that hears. :)  Squirrel’s chatter teaches the joy of fellowship, yet cautions the need to think before we speak to avoid the use of unnecessary words, which bend the ear and leave one mentally scurrying about trying to follow another’s squirrely trail of thought. So from the squirrel’s chatter I have gathered the gift of social grace.

 

 Squirrels are busy. Up until they go into hibernation for the winter, they work so hard at gathering and storing their food. But they can also be very forgetful at times and cannot remember where they hid their precious treasure.

 I learn from the squirrel the importance of good work, followed by a time of well earned rest. Squirrel also humorously reminds me just how important it is to stay focused and on task. ;) So from squirrel’s industrious nature, I have gathered the gift of balancing time and attention.

 

Though squirrels are cautious and careful, they are also very social and can be very trusting. I can speak to a squirrel and have it happily approach me. I can leave a squirrel a gift and have it warily accept it, soon to be a regular visitor, awaiting their gift at the same place and same time everyday. And from this, squirrel again shows me balance. It teaches me the need to always be watchful, and yet to possess an openness that would allow me to trust and build upon healthy relationships with others. From the squirrel’s trust I have gathered the gift and meaning of friendship and the discipline required to maintain it.

So many things can be learned from these loveable critters. May we continue to joyously gather and share in the bounty of squirrel’s entertaining, yet insightful wiles of thought provoking wisdom.