As I sat yesterday quietly observing my first snowfall of this year, I found myself in a different place with this winter experience. I was raised in Northern Ontario and spent most of my life in Canada's Arctic, Norman Wells and Inuvik in the Northwest Territories. So to me, the coming of snow and winter meant we were about to hunker down for six months of the white stuff, freezing temps with a big ol' side dish of darkness. There was a time in my life when I was sad to see the first snowflake, then in the later years I was able to find happiness in whatever Mother Earth needed to do for herself ... realizing that ultimately she is much wiser than us (at times...most times) dumb ass humans. I knew the first snowfall meant horror frost covered trees, out of this world northern light shows, skidooing and winter camping, and permission to hiberate and go within, as the bears teach us to do. It also meant days too cold to venture out, frozen water pipes, vehicles not starting and nose hairs freezing within seconds of stepping out the door! Ya takes the good with the bad ;-)
Yesterday though, I saw something I hadn't seen before. Perhaps because it's the middle of January and the Northern blood that runs through my veins was so excited to see the white stuff falling down down down for the first time this winter!! You see the universe arranged for me to spend the winter on a beautiful little eco-friendly island community in Washington State where winter might consist of a few days or weeks of snow. A place of solitude on three acres of tree clad land loaded with bird friends and a view of the Pacific ocean. A place I am blessed, for today, to call home.
My aha moment came as I sat in silence staring out the window watching thousands of these huge snowflakes fall gently one after the other to the ground. I saw how each snowflake is completely different, like a fingerprint, there are no two exactly the same, and how we humans are like snowflakes in that way. I saw that collectively these very different and completely unique snowflakes gathered together to eventually form a protective blanket over Mother Earth. I watched for hours, and couldn't help but see how together they had the power to change the landscape. I know this isn't brain surgery folks...seems simplistic even, yet apparently we don't 'get it' or this planet wouldn't be in the trouble it's in.
Can you imagine if snowflakes judged each other for being different? Or if they found reasons to criticize each other for not being exactly like the other? They would have no power at all and that protective blanket that is a necessary part of Earth's natural cycles would create chaos. Much like what we have created by losing respect for ourselves, each other and ultimately Mother Earth.
Unlike snowflakes, we do judge each other's differences when they might be celebrated instead? We find reasons to criticize others for not being more like us when we are THE only version of us. Now imagine thinking of yourself as a snowflake.....one little snowflake in the big universe...seemingly powerless...yet if you stop and pick up one piece of garbage (as opposed to walking past it or being the one who throws it out the window), turn off a light that you don't need and light a candle instead, turn down your furnace at night or when you're at work during winter months, walk sometimes instead driving (the list goes on and on).....just think of all of those seemingly 'small' things adding up into one big energetic blanket of love and respect for your Mother?! (and yes, i walk my talk :-))
I believe that everything in our lives comes down to intentions and that our true intentions must be heart based as opposed to ego based. If it is our collective intention to honor and respect Mother Earth, she feels that energetically and will continue to provide for us with love. If however we continue to disrespect and destroy her, she will need to look after herself the only way she knows how, by way of floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and fires. Thank her the next time you're taking a warm shower and be aware that she gives you the water and it's warmth, thank her in the morning when you wake up and take a breath for it is the trees that provide you with the oxygen you breathe, just the act of being grateful to her shows love and respect and in that act of gratitude and awareness, the changes are felt. We must stop taking her gifts for granted.
SOOOOO, imagine if all of us little snowflakes did a little bit to help, that we too have the power to change the landscape.
Here's the video I made yesterday.....
No comments:
Post a Comment