Learning from Nature

We have all been in awe of this autumn – at least those of us living in the northeast. Conversations ensued everywhere about the colors. Our hearts were touched by the beauty.

Thank you, Mother Nature. Thank you, Spirit. Thank you to the Intelligence that developed a system of life that brought this palette to all of us.

My husband and I went away for an overnight and returned to a different scene outside our front window. Still beautiful, just different. The change started before we left, in the morning light the full impact of the blowing winds to help the trees release their leaves became apparent. Still beautiful, just different. And its not over yet, more leaves to fall and of course at some point these branches will be covered and weighed down under the weight of snow. And that will be another kind of beautiful.

Why do we not look in the mirror with this sense of awe and acceptance of change and transformation? What compels us to measure our selves and others as old? Where, when did we lose our ability to love, accept, and to be enamored by the natural changes of life. A good friend of mine shared with me the other day about his early church experience and this “old” lady that he loved. He loved her as she was, he was enamored by her until her passing decades ago. This is rare though. What a fortunate man he is to know the love of an elder this way.

Aging is! Aging is for all of us. Aging is not bad and not something to fight. The same can be said for dying. Let us change the conversation in our heads from the fear of to the embracing of the inevitable. I know of no “conscious” person that would trade the current state of their life with their youth because of what they know now in their life, there is a beauty and freedom and a love of life that they have earned through their aging.

No one gets out alive, take a walk in an old forest, the kind that hasn’t be paved to walk upon, and you will see, once again, the evidence of life being life. Nature gives way. Nature surrenders. Nature allows. Nature embraces the inevitable.

Here is my plan. I am going out fully expressed and fully used up. When my time is here, I want to run full speed to my next iteration with a big smart ass, albeit toothless, grin on my face remembering that I am going home declaring, “Here I come Spirit, here I come!”