Swan Sanctuary

This has been one of the longest and coldest winters in my recent memory. We never actually had a fall as it went from hot and dry to cold and dry. Then we suddenly had snowstorm after snowstorm after snowstorm. There have been two mornings when I woke up to minus twenty degrees fahrenheit. The first time resulted in a burst water pipe in my laundry room. Even those people who have lived here for most of their lives are telling me that they are tired of the wind and the cold, and this seemingly endless winter. Looking ahead at the weather predictions for the next two weeks promises no hope of temperatures reaching out of the forties.

This is where it takes a great deal of determination to accept the situation as it is. Obviously, there is nothing I can do about the weather and I am stuck here for the time being. The morning sun; however, is streaming through my window. I feel myself leaning into it in the same way my plants reach for the light. I know that winter will pass. I know that spring will come. So how do I stay rooted in the present moment? Eckart Tolle tells us that when we come to accept the unacceptable, we will find peace.

It is Monday morning. Many people dislike Monday’s, but I like that they are a beginning. I like to anticipate the good things that may come to pass by the end of the week. When I bask in the warmth of the sunlit rays coming through the window, I know that each day is becoming a tad bit longer. I can pick up my seed catalogs and dream of the flowers I hope to grow in the coming months. I look forward to different bird species flying north on migration. Yes, it is Monday and it is cold and windy and frankly, quite miserable outdoors; but I am grateful for the roof over my head, for the heat that warms my little house, and for a hot bath that helps my old bones to endure. Mostly, I am grateful for the hope in my heart and the endless possibilities that are moving towards me one day at a time.

Today, I am reflecting on reflection. Light shines forth from its source, our sun. It is reflected off the clouds to the snow; and then it is further reflected from the snow to the surrounding space. When the sun reflects off a placid lake, it illuminates everything around it. Light reflecting from a pane of glass, or a mirror, is so enhanced that it can be temporarily blinding. When we carry light within our being, it is capable of reflecting back to us, from others, even without their knowing. As our individual lights reflect, they increase and bring more light into the world. If enough of us begin reflecting our light, there is hope that the darkness consuming our planet will disappear.

Much of the country is snowbound today as we are confronted with another severe winter storm. The world feels dark inside our homes and many of us are winter-weary. I am looking at the snow differently now; however. I am noticing that the light reflecting from the clouds is reflecting back to us from the snow, blanketing us in peace. The sub-zero temperatures are seemingly pressing plant life back down into the earth. Many animals in hibernation will remain huddled in sleep, in their dens; but our Earth has begun its trek back towards the Spring Equinox, and the growing light will soon begin to nudge them awake from their restful repose. The green shoots of summer snowflakes, crocus, and grape hyacinths will be poking themselves through the snow and opening flowers to the welcoming light.

Today, I reflect on the growing light of Spring and my spirits are uplifted, knowing that the dark, dreary Winter will soon be overpowered. Spring will win the day and Winter will retreat once again, to prepare for battle with Autumn, later in the year. In spite of the cold today, I am smiling at the snow, because I know its days are numbered.

The Monarch butterflies are making a comeback! This is good news to begin a new week. There are still thousands of other butterfly species that are threatened with extinction, but the Monarchs are proof that when enough people care, miracles can happen.

The Hippocratic oath, first stated by Hippocrates, the Greek physician known as the father of modern medicine, says, “First, do no harm.” These words have been supplanted in the oath taken by medical doctors of today. Hippocrates’s words are open to interpretation. It appears that even in this “age of communication,” we are still bogged down by ambiguity and varied opinions. What one person views as “harm” may be looked at by another as “saving a life.” With our increased understanding of the physical laws of Nature, we seem to create still more confusion. The recent overturning of Roe v Wade is another example of people twisting words to manipulate events.

The words “First do no harm;” however, could not be more straightforward. We have been clearly shown by scientists and biologists all over the world, the harm that we have done – and are still doing – to our planet. If we would simply stop our incessant talking and just listen, we would hear and see the truth that Nature has been trying to tell us. She is asking us to stop doing harm by using pesticides and herbicides, destroying habitat, and undermining the sustainability of ecosystems. She is trying to help us.

I am reading David Attenborough’s most recent book: A Life on Our Planet. He has written the book to bear witness to the loss of biodiversity and to the fading away of the natural world. He has in his words, “seen it with his own eyes.” If we are honest, we have all seen the harm we have done. Some of us have chosen not to see, to go on living in a world that falsely believes we are separate from Nature; but until we all decide to do no more harm, our fate remains uncertain.