Sabbath
“Do
you think the grass is growing so wild and thick for its own life?
Do
you think the cutting is the ending, and not also, a beginning?
This
is the world.”
Mary
Oliver (from “The Leaf and the Cloud”)
In
nature all living things follow a cycle—birth, growth, maturity, reproduction, death,
rebirth. Each living thing possesses its own internal clock encoded in its genetics.
If you tune into nature, you will notice the signs of where we are in the cycle.
I saw a photo yesterday of kangaroos in a snowstorm in Australia. It’s late winter
there, of course, but even so, snow this time of year is unusual. Here in Alabama,
we are nearing the end of summer. Temperatures have been soaring into the upper
nineties for weeks, but this morning it’s 72 degrees and beautifully cool. The
birds have finished their nesting cycles, so the mornings are quieter. Mockingbirds
are still singing, but a different kind of song, with less enthusiasm. Yesterday
afternoon rain came down hard and I noticed leaves, yellow and brown, fluttering
down with it. Autumn is on the way.
One of
the things I cherish most about this time of year is the quiet. After all the
frenetic movement and activity of summer’s growing season, this is a much-needed
break. The pandemic has disrupted so much about human life, but this remains.
This time is a meditation in the life cycle. I wonder if you feel it, too.
Now, we
can take time to lie down in the grass and watch the clouds move and reshape
themselves. We can take long walks without sweat pouring into our eyes. We can
contemplate all that is happening in this moment, appreciate the flowers’ final
blossoms, or sit quietly with a cup of coffee and just be still. We can read a
book; allow the quiet to seep into us and help us to lose track of time altogether.
Today
is a sabbath. I hope you will claim it as your own. We all need time to
recharge, to rest, to pray and restore our balance. Tomorrow, we can head back
into the fray, but today is a day of rest. “This is the world.” Let us give thanks
for every minute we are here.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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