Friday, January 15, 2010

Rocked by The Mother

I returned from our week in paradise with a raging sinus/bronchial infection, so I wasn't able to jump right back in to my garden or my blog.  It was hard to drag myself out of bed to take care of the unpaid bills and unanswered emails much less get out there in the cold, damp Austin air or locate any words worth writing in my congested head.    

While we were away Austin was hit by a hard freeze.  Our housesitter did a good job saving the lettuce and the potted tropicals, but there are telltale signs of the stress all around us. The cactus, aloe plants, airplane plant, Christmas cactus and ginger, droopy and beaten, seem to be saying, "Thanks a lot.  While you were oohing and aahing over that poinsettia tree and drinking Pina Coladas, we were freezing our buns off here and were left to fend for ourselves, unprotected!"  No one takes care of your children like you do and I have all the requisite mother guilt after grabbing six days for myself.  I've learned from years past that some of them will still come back and for those that don't make it, there is a wonderful nursery a mile away just waiting for me to adopt one of their babies for a very reasonable fee.

Waking everyday to feast my eyes on the Caribbean and being rocked to sleep by the wind in the palms each night reinforced this path that I am on.  Some fundamental part of me is nurtured by nature and I have drifted away from Her.  I follow the trail of tasks and projects that feed my body and other important longings - to serve the community, to connect with friends and family, to do meaningful work - but I sometimes end up feeling lost in the wilderness.

I don't have to fly away to a tropical island to find my way back.  Sure it helps to have uninterrupted days of endless ocean, warm sun and three dimensional stars.  But I can be rocked by Mother Earth right here, and let that rhythm help me find my center again. 

I opened the book "Heart Steps - Prayers and Declarations for a Creative Life" by Julia Cameron today - looking for inspiration.  These are her words.  

All of Life is My Mentor   

I honor the wisdom of life.  I learn from Life in all its forms.  The tree teaches me.  The sparrow and the wren sing my songs.  I am open to the lessons Life brings to me from the earth.  I learn from the wind, from the sun, from the small flowers, and from the stars.  I walk without arrogance.  I learn from all I encounter.  I open my mind and my heart to the guidance and love that come from the natural world. 

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