Monday, November 07, 2016

Out of the Ashes... [Flag]

As we drove up to the mountains again today after spending a few days in the desert, I caught a glimpse of the Peaks, and the tiniest human behind me said what my heart felt at the sight: "Home, Mama. Home!"  Even though our time in this season is no doubt of short duration, a part of ourselves easily belongs and finds rest, hope, joy and excitement in what we find in each day here. In the eloquence of the Tiger in our midst: "Mama, adventuring is good for my heart. It fills me with so much joy. I think the mountains are kind of magical." I didn't argue.

We hoped hopped onto the dirt road leading to the cabin, and the boys rolled down the windows and turned up the music. Paugie, smiled up at me with cold cheeks and showed me the "I love you" sign on his hand and Madigan shouted from the back, "Mama, this is the best, right?" Yup. I promise to post pictures of our adventuring in a couple of days when I have happy internet access again.

While adventuring through a remote forest road last week, we came across an old burn, where what remained of the forest trees were blackened snags and stumps all about. The boys quietly took it all in, and then slowly started pointing out the signs of new life springing up everywhere amidst the blackness. Yellow flowers happily swayed in the breeze and green grass covered the forest floor (particularly of note because if the trees had remained as they were, the grass wouldn't have had sufficient light to grow). Paugie said, "See Mama, out of the ashes, new life will begin." "And beauty will rise", I said to myself. Out of this darkness, new life will come.

The uncertainty of what lies ahead gnaws at me sometimes, so the uninhibited joy I see in the faces around me and the confidence they have that "all of this" - the beauty that surrounds us in the forests and meadows - is made for our pleasure... well, it gives me renewed perspective each day and so much hope.



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