(This is the screen shot I've been looking at for all these months. I know you're interested.)I wish I could describe the community I'm getting to know through this online masters program. It's amazing how much they are contributing to my growth and healing. Of course, it's a spiritual formation program, so perhaps that seems so elementary. Naturally they would contribute in such ways. But, when I consider that some I haven't met. Some live in the UK, mainland Europe, Central America, and throughout the US. They're all different ages and sizes and colors. Up until January, I'd never known any of them existed. And now they've invited me to know the depths of who they are and they're helping to shape me? It's amazing to me, at very least.
But I'm happy to say "goodbye" to the formal requirements of the program...so that I can engage again in life.
So, does that mean what I've been doing these last six months has not been life? Is the sense that I've "put life on hold" really accurate or is it that I've been experiencing life differently? Or is it a different life?
In other news, as there's no good segue to such ponderings, I've had several visitors lately. I'm thinking I'm living in a zoo. Or perhaps, just in the wild. No, this is not in reference to my parents or my college friends. It's more in the animal category. You remember the ducks from a few months ago, perhaps. My birdfeeder has been rehung so I'm getting lots of feathered friend activity there. But I welcome such visitors. No, it's not the worms or moths I blogged about either. Over the weekend, as I sat outside leisurely enjoying a suspense novel, a squirrel starting talking to me. You know that way where they're "yellin" or somehow seem like they're chewing you out for something? Well, i yelled back. And then the creature began advancing in "my" territory. With no apparent fear of me.
So, I got out my broom. Not to cause harm so much, as to just inspire some fright. When the creature sounded again, this time in the bushes within a foot or two of me, I grabbed the broom and tapped the bushes.
This action proved successful as the creature began running away...
er, that is, until I realized, this wasn't the squirrel, it was a big-ol woodchuck, or something. Which reminded me that a few weeks ago, I watched a raccoon waddle away from my bushes.
It does make me wonder what's so luring about my house.
It's not like I live in the country, people.
Anyone else encountering such brazen visitors??
(Sorry, no pictures. I was too surprised to grab my lil' camera.)
3 comments:
Gracie - When you started talking about your vision of living in a zoo I thought you were going to realize after all your study, your place was a mess! Be careful for the skunks!
we live among brazen creatures as well but then again...i'm out in the middle of la-la land (and yet, close to civilization).
Anywho, I have a frequent conversation with turkeys and the horse across the way that is constantly trying to escape (don't laugh, we've seen many a loose horse out here). But my most troublesome varnmit is a squirrel who is insisting that he should live in my garage.
I live in a zoo, too, but I mostly just converse with Sophie, who has taken recently to "yelling" at me herself!
In regards to the "life" questions, I ponder those frequently myself - from a little different angle. Have you ever seen or read the play, "Our Town"? My favorite line in any play ever, "Does anyone ever realize life as they live it? - Every, every minute?" Savor them all and realize that every experience and moment, though you may not remember them later, brings something new to the whole that you consider "life".
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