Quote from Mary Oliver

I stood willingly and gladly in the characters of everything -
other people, trees, clouds.  And this is what I learned, that the
world's otherness is antidote to confusion - that standing within
this otherness - the beauty and the mystery of the world, out in the fields or deep inside books - can re-dignify the worst strung-heart.

Mary Oliver
American Poet
(September 10, 1935)



Life brings challenges, some we are prepared for while others we are not.  We can easily become confused when we try to resolve our challenges, but we are not responding from a balanced emotional or physical state.  Frequently, we will find ourselves withdrawing rather than reaching out to resources surrounding us.

When we find ourselves indecisive, we can bring balance to our decision making by spending time out in nature with a quiet mind or deep into a favorite book where insights might arise.  This gives our thought process time to consider options that might not be apparent if we have withdrawn into ourselves dispondent.  

General anxiety can be calmed if we just take pause.  Step back from the situation and breathe.  Do not react impulsively.  Contemplate and then act out of informed decision.

By spending more time out in the beauty and mystery of nature, we feel more connected to all that is.  We do not feel quite as separate or overwhelmed.  When we quietly open ourselves to surrounding guidance, we will be nudged in the direction we need to go.