My college years were difficult for me. While I did well academically, socially I felt isolated. On Friday nights, I found myself alone with a bag of Oreos, longing for friends. In these lonely times, I wish I knew then what I know now. I am never alone.
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In the morning when I walk my dog, I'm often startled into awareness by a symphony of bird song. I'm surrounded by countless beings - trees and birds are the most obvious. I remember I am united with nature and the earth. Even the air I breathe connects me to all people who came before and will come after. I am never alone.
Often I meditate on a rock that overlooks the ocean. Although I am by myself, the warmth of the sun, the wind against my skin, my toes in the sand all fill me with a sense of sweet belonging. More than once, I've snapped a photo and texted my circle of family and friends to share the moment in real time. I am never alone.
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This lesson is imprinted in my body. My cells hold the history and hopes of ancestors. Sometimes I look in the mirror and see my mother's eyes looking back at me. In the lines of my hands, I trace out the gentleness and kindness of my father and his father. In the sound of my laughter, I hear the joy of aunts and uncles. In my voice, I hear echoes of teachers, poets, and mystics. In my soul, I am forever one with the source of love and life. I am never alone.
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Practice
Recall a favorite spot in nature or better yet go out in nature and find a spot. Connect with all of your senses. Whether in the mind's eye or with actual sight, take in the beauty that surrounds you. Feel the wind caress you and the sun shine on you. Sense your body being held by gravity as the earth supports you. Listen for the sound of birds. Breathe with the trees. Rest in this place until refreshed and renewed. Know you are not alone.
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Place your hand on your heart or your cheek. Feel the warmth of your hand. Tap into this place on tenderness. Before you knew words, you understood the intimacy of touch. Remember in your body those who have held and cared for you. Recall their faces, their smiles, their presence during life's celebrations and difficulties. Connect with all of your senses. Be held by love. Touch your heart and sense the love of family and friends surrounding you like sunshine. Rest in this place until refreshed and renewed. Know you are not alone.
Emerge into the rest of the day but maintain this sense of connection. Look into the eyes of a coworker, a friend, a family member and see not just a familiar face but a history of shared moments. Send a text or make a call to the person who crosses your mind this day. Greet the neighbor or wait person who crosses your path with a smile. Let your feet touch the earth and be grateful for this place we call home. Before turning in for the night, look in the mirror and cherish the one looking back at you.