Hanging by a Thread

"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be."

Anne Frank

On a spiritual quest, I walked silently in a private wooded area.  I found myself surrounded by rustling leaves, singing birds, scampering animals, and the rich fragrance of nature.  My personal concerns seemed to evaporate in the hot rays of the sun. The gentle breeze cloaked me in solitude.

A passion for trees has been within me since childhood.  I really don't have a favorite tree as I am really quite drawn to the intricacies of sprawling branches or gnarly root systems.  So I was enthralled  wandering through the woods.

Eventually, I sat at the foot of a tree, leaning back against the age old bark of the trunk.  I placed my hands on the exposed roots and could feel myself blending energies with the tree and all of nature. 

Breathing in the magical elements of the enchanted woods, I happened to glance down to a spider that was seemingly suspended in mid air.  Impossible I thought, so I slid down to the rich earth for a closer look. 

Upon inspection, I could barely see a strand of gauze hanging from a leafy stalk, but delicately attached to the spider.   The illusion of the bug being totally disconnected, triggered deeper thoughts and lessons to be learned from nature.

We all experience times of extreme loneliness or despair thinking that we are invisible and unsupported.  I do not think this is true thinking.  I believe that the divine is always connected to us even though we may be unaware, like the spider hanging by a thread.  Like this bug, we may think that no one is caring for us nor learning from us.  The truth, however, is that divine is always looking over us, seen or unseen and others are always learning from us whether they voice it or not.

This lesson was given to me in the woods over 18 years ago, but it is one I carry close to my heart.  I know when isolation is seeping in, it is time for a walk in nature.  It is there I feel reconnected and walk in the presence of the divine.