Books by the old Leather Chair

  • Snow In The Summer
  • My Bible
  • The Power of Silence
  • What Comes Next and to Like It
  • Encore Provence
  • A Year in Provence

Monday, April 20, 2009

Trees

I go among trees and sit still
All of my stirring becomes quiet
Around me like circles on water.
My task lies in their place
Where I left them, asleep like cattle...
Then what I am afraid of comes
I live for a while in its sight
What I fear in it leaves it,
and the fear of it leaves me.
It sings, and I hear its song.

Wendell Berry from Sabbath's I read this poem on Aisling's "The Quiet Country House" It spoke to my heart

My country property where I am now building is covered with trees. Trees that are big, small, old, young, perfect and scarred. Many just there on the ground where a storm or past timbering has left them.I love walking in the woods among them. Sometimes I will just sit on a stump or a log on the ground. With my building progressing there has been some clearing and cleaning up. I do not want to cut down anymore trees and with the many logs on the ground I am having thoughts of just leaving them. All the gardens I have created in the past have been so tidy and manicured and I am thinking that this new garden at the edge of the woods will have a more natural look.

Maybe like One Woman in these years of the 70's that I am traveling. I have been young and now much older, small, a little bigger, perfect and now scarred, a full home and now it is empty except for one soul. I am always thinking, planning for the future and reflecting on the past. The time has come to be still and empty the mind. Now is the time just to be. A time to enjoy nature and the simplicity of the lifestyle that I yearn for.

Interesting thought from "What Matters Most" by James Hollis

"We are not here to fit in, be well balanced, or provide examples for others. We are here to be eccentric, different, perhaps strange, perhaps merely to add our small piece, our selves to the great mosaic of being. We are here to become more and more ourselves"

Some early morning thoughts from One Woman

7 comments:

Cloudhands said...

Your reflections remnid me of the wonderful Proverb--A time to reap, a time to sow, etc and I have often told people that the older I get the more myself I become. We indeed are following our unique paths, but how interesting to find similar insights common to so many people as they explore their places in the world. Loved your quotes and Aisling's poem. It is very hard for me not to use her name. But as her mother her insights and point of view give me such delight.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Cloudhands, we think so much alike. I have made the same comment that the older I get the more myself I become. I have lived a number of lifestyles - but this is me and the best. Guess it took the others for me to become me!!

Zabetha said...

I love your Hollis quote, that is really an excellent thought. Sometimes it seems like we spend a good chunk of our lives trying to fit in, be balanced and a good example, when just being who we are and adding to the "great mosaic of being" turns out to be at the heart of it all.

Tabor said...

As I have aged, my thoughts, desires, goals are ever changing. I think the best part of my change has become my willingness to compromise, kind of the opposite from your poem in that I do ten to 'fit in' more on my projects. I no longer strive for perfection as I often did. I am sure this is much a relief to my less perfect family ;-)

Judy said...

Great quotes and thoughts. I am going to have some trees cut down in my yard. They are wonderful shade and I love them but they are to near my house and with some of the storms we are having lately I am scared to death they will fall.
I love walking in the woods, too.

Balisha said...

Such beautiful words to read.I think age makes us more interesting creatures.Your new home is going to be so comforting to you.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Anne, Tabor, Judy and Balisha - you are dear online friends. I always welcome your comments.
I head to the country tomorrow!!!