Theos-Talk Archives (September 1995 Message tl00834)

This morning I had my first chance to hike in the woods behind
the acre on which I live. My neighbor has 21 acres of sloping
woodlands, which contain two springs that create streams. The
two streams feed a pond that is just beyond the woods on the
next property.

There's no point in boring everyone with details of how
beautiful the hike was, or how peaceful it was down at the
pond, or how wonderful I felt hiking through these woods that
start near my back door.

But there are two thoughts that struck me coming back from the
pond. First, there's something wholly new about living where
one can directly walk into wilderness. Living in the city and
driving to nice rural spots created a sense of distance and
deprivation. Nature was not continuous with the reality in
which I lived; it was something you had to escape to. Moving
to the edge of the woods feels like opening a direct link to
Nature itself. Seeing the Milky Way at night adds to that
sensation. Something about moving to the country is powerfully
evocative of a new level of nature- mysticism. And feeling
enveloped and inspired by Life itself out in the woods is a
deeply healing and encouraging experience. It does wonders in
terms of making one see that all one's worries about who
thinks and feels what-- are nothing but flapdoodle.

Called away by a minor crisis at work--

Namaste
Paul