Wild Musings:
Here in the northland, after a lovely lingering fall, we have encountered the chill of winter, with days hovering in single digits, and winter clothing quickly pulled from summer storage. It’s also the week before Thanksgiving, which probably holds as many different expectations and feelings as there are people. What’s in common, though, is the suggestion of thankfulness. Of taking a moment, in the midst of all that fills our days, to share a meal and so share our thanks for all that graces our lives.
A Wild Dare?
Go for it. Seek it out. Stretch beyond your usual “list” of things you are thankful for, and see what else finds you. It’s a practice known to bring more peace and happiness, but it’s also a Wild experiment. See what you find, with an open heart and mind when you explore thankfulness. Notice the feel of sun on your face or the gift of words in a good book. See how deep you can go in your gratitude, not because you are “supposed to,” but because it’s intriguing, a daring and Wild thing to explore.
It’s pre-game time.
The week before Thanksgiving
where athletes and non-athletes alike
prepare for a week
that holds many expectations and traditions.
For some, they are naturals
hardly a need to stretch or warm up;
for others, it involves exercising muscles
that rarely get used.
I’m talking, of course, about gratitude.
The giving of thanks
that precedes the feast–
for those of us privileged
enough to enjoy such a thing.
It is a time of hushed silence in the woods
empty of bird song,
but for the boisterous and hearty few
that stay year-round
in a climate that only some can tolerate.
It is a time when others go to ground
bears, snakes, turtles, and frogs
to name a few
who slow their systems down
so remarkably
that they rarely move and do not eat.
We exist amongst all this
feeling the pull to hibernate
coupled with the exhilaration
of snow and winter’s noble charm.
At its root, we know, lies gratitude.
The acknowledgement that, while complicated,
life holds countless gifts.
So as you warm up and prep for
next week’s giving of thanks,
may you see grace
wherever your eyes land.
May you need not look far
to feel the humbling knee-buckling delight
in being alive.
And may you be surrounded by those you love
and who love you
as you balance the Wild pull
toward stillness and daring.
