Going green

Tonight we decided to go out for a picnic at the park behind our house.
It was lovely.
In many ways.

The boys ate,
played,
explored;
Shawn and I lounged leisurely
watching,
smiling,
full of gratitude for such amazing boys.

It was what I needed.
Actually, it was what everyone needed.
Fresh air,
beauty upon beauty,
getting dirty and not caring.

After we finished up, we explored a nature trail through the woods.
As we slowly meandered on the path
through mustard,
mushrooms,
wild onions,
purple trumpet
and white star flowers,
while keeping our distance from any skinks that might be lurking,

(Sidenote of vileness:  We were terrorized by one Sunday evening that lurked under our couch.  It did not end pretty.) 

we breathed.

We became alive again.

There is just something about being in nature,
in beauty,
in creation,
that re-creates.
That builds the soul,
that centers,
and reconnects.

To myself,
to others,
to the Creator.

I wonder if this mystery of re-creation happens
because I am surrounded by the elements in how it all began.
That I'm going back to the organic connection of what was,
and what still really is,
apart from cell towers,
PBS kids,
cables and wires,
desks and air conditioning.

For in that longing to be reconnected,
truly connected,
in that desire to breathe deeply again,
I am really yearning to behold the One whom holds all these things together.
Oh how I forget.

For my life and all that fills it,
the synthetic stuff and perpherial junk,
after time,
creates stagnant air,
and my soul longs for freshness.
It screams out, "Open the windows!"

That is what re-creation is all about.
That is, at the core, what I long for.
To reconnect with the Beauty that created me.
And all this.
And no amount of primetime TV,
sleep,
and unfortunately, chocolate
will truly satiate.

As we were walking back,
laughing with abandon,
Connor stopped us dead in his tracks.
Listen.
Listen, he said.
Then he pointed up.
Up to the heavens.
There a cardinal sang out to us.

Yes, the heavens.

Of course, it all comes from up there.

A flame in the midst of budding growth.
Passionate beauty,
Spirit gift,
the song of God.

Go for a walk.
By yourself.
With your family.
Recreate together.
Re-create your spirit.