Look up, Child

When I am Among the Trees   

When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, “It's simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”

Mary Oliver

 
This poem immediately caught my attention in the retreat welcome booklet hosted by Ignatius House (photo above).  It seemed the Holy Spirit was inviting me to look up every day and notice how the leaves danced.  And the question came ever so gently, “Why am I so distant from this gladness and hope of myself?” So this became my discovery of the next 5 days. The slow, uninterrupted time was a gift, unlocking hidden parts, hidden memories and seeing God in them, imperfection and all.   

Do you have a desire to go easy?  Walk slowly for a day? Discover the goodness in you and the world? If so, we invite you to be with us for our Guided Day of Silence at the Ignatius House August 5. There are still a few spots open for you to discover. If you're a first-timer with silence, here is some helpful information about what the day is like.
 
 BETH

P.S. In the Bible Project's series on trees, they suggest every time someone faces a tree, they face a moment of decision, i.e., Abraham and the ram caught in a bush, Moses and the burning bush, everyone and the Cross and more. They call them "hinge points in the biblical story." Super interesting! Check it out!