When feeling overwhelmed by the state of things, I’ve been trying to look for comfort not with the “old normal” methods, but in positive possibilities for the future–building community and sharing sustainable nourishment.
I was moved to walk to the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial today, seeking inspiration for what more and how better I can contribute to a just and compassionate world.
When I was down at the tidal basin, a hawk flew so close to me, coming from behind, that I heard the movement of its wings before I saw it fly off across the water. I did not get a photograph of the hawk. Here is one of a gull at the reflecting pool in front of the Capitol that I saw on the way home. Below that is a picture of the Memorial.
This week I have really noticed the light changing. When I start my morning meditation, the day is just dawning, not full daylight. The cat is not waking me up an hour before the electronic wake-up call, but is rather showing up just before it goes off (he is acting in sync with my routine rather than with the birds’). Even though the days are still hot, there are hints of autumn in the smell of the leaves and certain breezes. The first of the late summer fruits and vegetables are starting to come.
Are you noticing the subtle shifts? Has it changed what you want to practice and how you are feeling when you practice?
and four days of no cell phone signal. Would I be able to do that without leaving home? Would I want to do that without leaving home?
I’ll ponder that another time. Meanwhile, I imagine waking up with the dawn in the high desert.
