.....a stick

Yogis,

Thanksgiving is a chance to pause and notice all of the amazing things around us to be grateful for, and I was most grateful to have my grandson share that with me over the long weekend at the beach.

All it took was a walk…………………….

He and I headed out for a simple walk around the block.  First order of business……find a stick.  There are endless possibilities for stick activities. We swept the leaves with them, brushed the mulch, used them for walking and stuck them in the ground. They are wonderful for hitting the bushes and holding high in the air, until eventually Phoebe grabs one and chews it to pieces.  

With tiny little feet forward movement is slow which provides the chance to notice all that is right around you.  Ahhhh acorns!  I demonstrated how to find the acorn ‘hats’ and put them back on.  Plump yellow marigolds still in bloom beckoned us to get down in the dirt to touch and smell. The brightly colored ‘For Sale’ sign in front of one home kept us put for a good 20 minutes.  Playing peek-a-boo behind it, pointing at the letters, and of course……drumming a beat on the metal top with our sticks.

I noticed again the beauty of a simple pinecone and as we looked up into the tree above us the red berries were thick and heavy.  Old tree stumps made for great climbing and if I weren’t keeping my eyes down in line with his I would never have noticed the stray tabby cat curled up in a leaf nest under the bush soaking up the sun.  A four foot piece of bamboo found on the side of the street worked great for both pushing and pulling with a little effort. 

Halfway around we stopped for a break, sitting on the curb to eat some grapes. We were quiet as we watched the squirrel antics in action.  Chasing, dodging, leaping and wrestling. That’s when we heard them.  Far in the distance at first.  As their chorus grew louder and louder, we looked up to see the geese flying overhead in a perfect V shape against a crystal blue sky.  

I am grateful that Johnny slowed me down. That I was able for that hour to see the world as he does…..with ‘childlike wonder’. On the spiritual path, many of the practices are intended to help us strip back the many layers that life has piled on in order to again see the world as a child. Seeing everything as if it is the first time. Limitless and pure. To be enjoyed, not conquered. Johnny gave me that gift this weekend. 

“Through the eyes of a child you will see the world just as it ought to be.”

                ~Unknown

Time to find another stick,
SARAH