On a recent trip with my son to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, I had a close
encounter. It pleased me, hence, my sharing it here as a Blog post. After a
long day of driving to “God’s Country” and seeing sights I hadn’t seen in
almost 40 years, we made our way back to the hotel. An outdoor patio with
chairs, tables, and chaise lounges aided guests in the much needed respite
required after a day’s sightseeing. Two chaises were open and we happily
parked ourselves to rest our feet. The breeze cut the humidity as the sun
set.
A boy had brought his basketball to the hotel and utilized the hoop that was
adjacent to us. We chatted with each other about the day and watched guests
come and go from the main entrance. It became quiet and no guests remained
in our view. Out of the corner of my eye darted a little animal. I whispered
to my son that a baby rabbit was in our midst. As it ran to its destination,
we popped out our phones for photo ops.
The hotel’s landscape architects had planted flowers that grew in a cluster.
Coneflowers were this evening’s special on the menu. To our surprise, we
were able to sit about three feet away without disturbing the bunny while it
dined. On its hind legs, it reached for a treat. Stretchhhhhhhhh. It had
focus, determination, and strength. How simple foraging looked! Not even a
year old and it mimicked what we often forget: determine what you need and
take steps towards satisfying that need. There was nothing complicated here.
Dinnertime. Easy and fun.
I was struck by this pose. How an animal instinctively knew to reach for
what it wanted and needed without hesitation and overthinking… The act was
primal and pure. You know, we can learn a lot from these friends who join us
here to play and learn.
We sat for a while and marveled at the way the little one grabbed, set down,
chewed, swallowed, and discarded what was deemed undigestable. After
enjoying the bouquet, it scampered away. “I’m done with my work finding a
meal. Moving on. Sun’s almost down.” Talk about Knowing! Confidence! You may
conclude that I was very inspired within this short period of time. My son
felt similarly.
My take away: we can refer to nature when we are overwhelmed and in need of
a refresher about intuition, perserverence, and focus. They surround us
year-round and guide us in a myriad of ways. Keeping it simple is a very
common message our non-human friends share with us. Without words, they play
their respective parts to offer us soul growth opportunities. The lessons
are rich.
Do you see them, too?
Wiggle nose, munch, hop,
~Joanie
