Tag: Appreciation

It Has Always Been About Love

Is anybody listening? Can you hear it? 

Beneath the din of political rhetoric, beneath the fear it produces and the anger it arouses. Can you hear it?

It winds through the seemingly good news and the obvious perils, the celebrity adoration and the cries of the forgotten.

The sea of humanity in its glory and in its failing cries to be remembered. In the hopes of the innocent and in the despair of the old; there is a cry that must be heard.

Before the justifications of the need for war; before the excuses to kill, there’s a wellspring of goodness that begs to be visited. 

Before the last tree is cut and the rivers run dry, can we hear the earth requesting our care? 

It has always been about love. Love of place and appreciation for what is given. That’s always been and will always be at the core of a human being. When we listen.

The wheel of fame and blame has always been with us, but so has the stillness within that holds us in the darkest times and in our greatest joys. 

We have been taught not to listen. We have been told that others know what is best for us. It’s time to snap out of it.

It’s easy to recount injustices and while we do need to be aware of what is being done in our name, it’s equally important that we take time to touch the sacred – whatever that means to you – and to fill our cup with appreciation for the life that we are given. 

Without that, we’re left to the spin of this world. Without that we are rudderless in the storm. Trust that which is worthy of your trust. It’s there for you.

Keep fighting the good fight and be sure you are nourished by the Good.

A Glorious Existence

After a bit of effort, I found the number of an old friend. We hadn’t spoken in a few years and so far we still haven’t, but his voice message made me smile. It was simple. He said, “I hope you are having a glorious existence”.

I had just come in from another foray into our old heirloom apple orchard. My trees have suffered from recent droughts, and truthfully many never fully recovered from the goats we had a while ago. But I heard an apple expert on the radio say that taking off the dead branches and nipping the suckers can give a forty-year-old tree new life. Perhaps another forty. I liked the sound of that.

So, as I wander through the orchard, I wrangle with dead branches and revel when I cut down the vines sucking life from the trees.  The multi floral rose and autumn olive are also threats, and I do my best to remove them, remembering my mother’s words, “Give it a lick and a promise”. It meant that after a quick assessment she would promise to return to finish the task at hand. Today as I was fulfilling the promise, I realized I could spend the rest of my days quite happily wandering through this orchard, caring for the old trees and planting new. 

The young saplings don’t always make it. The deer are prolific and eat them if they are not protected. Life has its fragility.

Planting saplings is a promise kept: to see the old orchard carry on. There is something defiantly delightful in maintaining these precious heirlooms. The hybrid ones may be heartier and look prettier, but they will never touch the sweet taste of the cider made from a variety of heirlooms.

So yes, my friend and to all my friends, I am enjoying a glorious existence in appreciation of the life I am being given. And I wish the same for all of you. Bring on 2025!