My Neighbor: August 30 - September 5

My Neighbor

This morning I find solitude in the soft rays of dawn.

For a moment I'm under the illusion that I am alone.

Until the cardinal interrupts the silence with purposeful notes.

We live our lives in parallel, separated by a thin wall of green.

We each have our nest, our obligations, our journey for the day.

Why am I so oblivious to the lives hidden in my shadow?

The cardinal and I, aren't so very different.

I'm finding refuge in nature these days, especially in my backyard where bright yellow finches feast at the neighbor's bird feeder, the monarchs gather nectar from the big purple butterfly bush, a fox boldly darts through the lawn to the woods behind, and the cardinals have made a home in the viburnum hedge.

When the burdens of the day weigh heavy, I am blind to the other worlds quietly unfolding beneath my feet and around me. Mindfulness prompts me to slow down and pause, to open my eyes and my ears, to feel the warmth of the sun and the caress of the breeze on my skin. It is amazing in moments like these, how noticing the clouds above, simultaneously lifts my spirit.

Practice

Lose your problems, at least temporarily, by getting lost in nature. Get out of your head and sit under a tree. Listen to the birds in your front yard. Walk along the shore. Revisit the memory of a glorious sunrise or a magical sunset. Once you have found your spot, relax the body, and let the earth hold you for the next few minutes.

Sense the breath as it flows in and out like ocean waves. Feel the movement of the air, a gift from the trees and the green plants, connecting you to all living beings. Release your shoulders. Soften your jaw. Gravity supports you from head to toe. Release your burdens to the earth as it sustains you. Everything you need has already been given.

Sit in stillness. Open you ears and your heart to the wonder around you. Maybe the wind whispers your name. Maybe the birds serenade with song. Maybe the rain and the rivers wash away your cares. Allow the heart to soak in the beauty of the moment. Linger here, releasing what is no longer needed, receiving light and love for another day on this planet.

You have never been alone. The mountains and the oceans have always been here. The sun and the moon shine on you. The sky above and the earth below protect and nurture you. The finches and the monarchs and the cardinals are your neighbors. All we truly need is this day and each other. And that is enough.