Studying nature can lead to profound effects
January is the time of year when we think about making changes. We can get instant gratification by throwing out leftover holiday cookies or packing a suitcase and walking out the door! But most changes are slow to be realized and staying on course can be arduous.
I was reminded of this when I stepped out the back door this morning to find a red-shouldered hawk sitting in the big pine, sure of his place in the world. I dropped everything to watch as he scanned earth and sky for his next meal. It was the defining moment of the day in which I realized my goal of staying in the “Beautiful Now.”
Most of us are privileged to have enough to eat and a place to live. Rarely are our lives shattered by catastrophe. And yet much of the time, we lament the past and worry about the future. Greenland’s meltdown dominates our dreams.
Watching this beautiful bird, I resolved to live a “wild and precious life” in the words of the poet, Mary Oliver.
