Grace grows best in winter.
Samuel Rutherford
Every morning, I hang out the feeders.
This winter is especially snowy and cold,
So I don’t chase anyone away.
I thought I was doing it for the animals-
But when the buck came, watching the squirrel
struggle to get food from the squirrel resistant feeder,
and began dropping seeds on the ground… sharing…
I realized they’re giving me a greater gift.
I am witnessing the grace of a wild life.
The doe also came, with her fawn -
Standing at the feeder together
Eating together.
They will survive without my help.
They will find other feeders, other food
When I fly south,
But the doe and her fawn,
The buck and the squirrel
Have shown me their love.
They’ve been my close companions
In the silent calm of morning
In the loneliness of winter
Where the white blanket has fallen
And stayed. And I am warm with
Affection for this snow,
And the grace it brings
Wandering out from the woods.
I will miss it when I leave,
but I am grateful for it now.
Seek teachings everywhere,
Like a deer that finds
A quiet place to graze,
Seek Seclusion to digest
All you have gathered. . .
Namkhai Norbu
Oh it is going to be hard to leave this snowy wonderland, but, alas, the next time I write I will be in Miami - looking for iguanas and night herons.
Thank you so much for being here. See you in a week or two.
The heavy winter skies have only allowed the moon to shine through a few times this month, but here she is, rising through the trees - not quite full. The wolf moon.
