I am inspired.
Recently I received an email from Margaret, a woman I used to work with when I lived in upstate NY.
Margaret told me about a new experience she is having in relationship to nature.
She recently installed a wrought iron porch swing in an unusual and under utilized place on her property – tucked underneath her deck. From there, she can witness the woods behind her house.
She describes this new location as a sanctuary for her. She writes about a change in her sense of time, a surprising awareness of the sounds of the forest, and a potent inner peace.
Margaret happens to be an exquisite writer, so here she is in her own words:
“It is hard for me to sit still in a chair for very long, but somehow when I sit in the swing gazing at the woods, I lose all sense of time. The stressful focus on time that directs each day...simply melts away. Lulled into mental stillness by the motion of the swing, I become tuned in to the early evening and nighttime sounds of nature--the birds, the crickets, the chipmunks--that go unnoticed when I am busily attending to "life." In my swing, I am no longer oblivious to the symphony of natural sounds; they become a fascinating conversation on which I am eavesdropping. How is it that I never noticed how noisy the woods are?!"
I’m inspired because this story exemplifies:
- bold action
- shift in priorities
- change in awareness
With rapid results of:
- slowing down the perceived pace of life
- sense of peace
- mental stillness
- wonder
- appreciation
Which one of these would you like more of in your life this week?
What simple step towards the natural world could you take that might gift your desire? Tell me about it below!