"Some days you eat the bear..."

Finding God

“I know plenty of people who find God most reliably in books, in buildings, and even in other people. I have found God in all those places too, but the most reliable meeting place for me has always been creation.”

                            Barbara Brown Taylor (Leaving Church)

I always know it is time to 'get back to nature' when my temper gets short, when I snap over every little offense, and feel irritable with everyone. I awoke this morning with that line from the Big Lebowski, “Some days you eat the bear, and some days, well...he eats you,” running through my head. Never a good sign—made me question what kind of day lies ahead.

I get this way when the world is too much with me, or perhaps when I am too much in the world. You know about those days, I'll bet. The ones where your air conditioning goes on the fritz when the temperature is above one-hundred degrees. Or just when you were getting your veterinary bill paid off, you discover that the dogs are over-due for shots. Or when you blow a tire on the way to work, and then discover you've left your cell phone at home. You want to commit murder, but no one's at fault. Oh, yeah, you say...those days. 

In my case, my insurance adjuster will come today to inspect the roof and gutters and tell me whether my homeowners will cover the cost of yet another limb coming down. My trees are in revolt. The drought has them fainting and falling.

I will walk the alleys today. Wild flowers are growing there. Why is it that tomatoes dry-up-and-die even when you water them everyday, yet wild flowers survive and weeds flourish in drought? One of the great mysteries of the universe, I suppose.

I will meet my friend, Isie, in the botanical gardens to sit and talk and surround ourselves with nature that is green and growing. I will encounter God in that place—in the person of Isie, and in the bounty of creation. Then I will remember that I am fortunate indeed to have a roof above me, even when it needs repair, and goofy dogs for company, even though they cost as much as elective surgery. I will recall that most of the world lives every day without electricity, much less air conditioning, and that having a car, even one with a blown out tire, is a total luxury.

Life is good...even on the days when the bear wins!

                                     In the spirit,

                                     Jane