Cool weather signals a move to indoor activities. Barbecues, block parties, and beach days are disappearing.
Now we reach for sweaters and jackets. A desire to sit quietly, journal, or hike in the
woods might begin calling to you. We need to pay attention to these subtle longings.
It is not always easy.
Some days, news stories and political podcasts leave me a bundle of mixed feelings. I am not
alone. People call it “election anxiety.” But it is more than an election that is of concern. Natural
disasters, cultural chaos, and wars leave us overwhelmed. So do environmental catastrophes.
And for too many, there are additional worries about their health, work, money, and family.
What can we do?
All these concerns have one thing in common. They pull us toward a frightening future.
Returning to the present moment saves us from a mind fixated on doom and gloom. It can be
hard to find inner quiet when our minds are abuzz.
Research tells us that time spent in nature heals a weary heart. Especially now, finding moments
away from worries is imperative. Escaping is not the goal. We need to find balance so that we
can be helpful and present in our wobbly world. Silence, prayer, and meditation is what we
need. Not only for ourselves but also for those around us.
Equanimity is also a gift to others.
“We will not achieve change by prayer alone; we need to take action.” This quote from the Dalai
Lama moves us in yet another direction. Taking action can also help us feel less powerless.
Look for places to send donations for people in need. Support candidates that offer hope, not
fear. For me that is Kamala Harris. She is my choice to best serve the needs of all people,
especially women.
I’m excited to work on her campaign. I balance that with meditation, journaling, painting, and
nature walks with Don. These practices help me manage my stress about not doing enough. Training ourselves to
return to the present can disrupt anxious, habitual thoughts.
Wouldn’t it be great to have less worry and more wonder?
Yes!
There is another place to rediscover awe. Peruse poems like those of
Mary Oliver, Rumi, Billy Collins, and others. Here is my suggestion. For every minute we
spend doom scrolling, we spend an equal amount reading poetry. It will not make our troubles
disappear. But it will soothe our soul.
See how you feel after reading this. Read it out loud. Read it twice, once for your ears and once
for your soul.
When I am Among the Trees
By Mary Oliver
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.”
Can you embrace where this poem takes you?
Did it bring you into the moment?
Some of these cool autumn mornings, I long to slip into silence. I read a poem. I become aware
of subtle rhythms that the noisy world misses. I notice things. Troubling feelings that remain
from a recent news article. Sounds from a distant plane. How the blaze maple leaves are now
tinged with crimson. Lingering tastes from my breakfast. Coffee’s pungent aroma.
These are the moments that feed my soul.
May you find moments that ease your mind and feed your soul.
Photo: Don at Morton Arboretum on our walk