New Year

~ Live & Learn

 

I pause to check the milkweed, and a caterpillar halts midbite, its face still lowered to the leaf.

I walk down my driveway at dusk, and the cottontail under the pine tree freezes, not a single twitch of ear or nose.

On the roadside, the doe stands immobile, as still as the trees that rise above her. My car passes; her soft nose doesn’t quiver. Her soft flanks don’t rise or fall. A current of air stirs only the hairs at the very tip of her tail.

I peek between the branches of the holly bush, and the redbird nestling looks straight at me, motionless, unblinking.

Every day the world is teaching me what I need to know to be in the world.

In the stir of too much motion:

Hold still.
Be quiet.
Listen.

~ Margaret Renkl, “Still” in Late Migrations: A Natural History of Love and Loss

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31 thoughts on “New Year”

  6. I have no words – or do I?
    Such a perfect yet difficult to do achieve goal…. United in thoughts, good will and with a heart full of kindness and compassion we might find the quiet moments, the stillness it takes to be on this road and stay there – right to its goal. Love from afar.

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  10. What a perfect text to share with this, the first day of the year.
    Happy New Year to you and your family, David. I know it’s not an easy one to celebrate this year so you get extra love from over here…

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  14. “Every day the world is teaching me what I need to know to be in the world” Yes! We live a quiet, simple life…We observe nature daily…Just this morning he was out front with the pup I came out about 5 minutes later (shoe issue) he was watching two Crows he said they’d just chased off a Hawk…I watched and listen as the Crows settled down and I thought hmm, my Spirit Birds are Crows! What is you Spirit Bird this year? A bit later we went out and he said look at the turkeys in the yard…we counted 13 as they crossed over the road looking for windfall apples to feast on… /// ‘Late Migrations: A Natural History of Love and Loss’ such a great title for a book…///Tuesday we were getting on with our day: an appointment and errands we were next to the freeway in an area that is becoming built up, the fields and semi- wet lands are disappearing…to our pleasant surprise and we’ve never seen this in that area before at least a dozen Great White Egrets spread out in an open area…we pulled over and watched, amazed at the opportunity! A few cars passed by and we said why is no one stopping to gaze? Then our conversation went to how much building is going on and displacing wildlife…some parcels not far from us were made ready for estate lots and black bear, bobcats & I bet mountain lions, too have started to wander as their habitat has been destroyed as I write I think of the fires in Australia and the adorable loss of Kola bears and those that are left loss of their habitat…saw a heartbreaking photo of people coming across the sweet Kola’s with burnt paws and people helping them drink water from bottles…and within the GRIEF… Each Breath, Each New Day and New Year are gifts…in which to learn, to be of service, to Love one another, to be touched by loved, to be grateful for it is all a miraculous gift…

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