Hiking a switchback trail down the forest hillside, joy flows through me like water winding through rocky channels of the creek below. I am so fully present experiencing each wonder of nature. Expressive bursts of childish enthusiasm feel enlightening. I realize birds have briefly quieted in response and I attempt to match this meditative atmosphere with silence. “Observe with your eyes and ears, not your mouth….” my inner elementary school teacher chides. My soul paints with the colors of vibrant fuchsia beauty berries and turquoise damselflies along the path. Occasionally, I capture a memorable image on my phone for myself and perhaps to show others. Wind gusts wave across leaves, mimicking the mesmerizing music of waterfalls. Sitting half lotus on a fallen log laced intricately with tiny burrows, I watch the woods and sky dance above to exuberant birdsong. Awareness of time soars away beyond sunlit patterns of tree shadows tracking across the earth. Appreciation of nature inspires me so much that I desire to share this power with others.
Warning: Nature Inspires a Childlike Joy!
by Monica Opincar