Nature and Wisdom

Never does nature say one thing, and wisdom another.’ Juvenal

Today’s quote reflects one of my most cherished personal beliefs; that there is an innate intelligence in this universe that is constantly in communication with us.When we are struggling with an issue, many of us tend to seek advice. We seek clarity from all sorts of sources: we ask our friends, we visit professional helpers, we read horoscopes, or consult a psychic.I too seek the counsel of others, but I also always pay close attention to what the natural world around me is communicating to me. When I am in search of an answer, the Interactive Universe knows this… and it always provides a stream of input to me.I remember one perfect example of this from many years ago… I was worried about one of my children who had an issue going on at school…I was out on a morning walk pondering whether or not my Mama Bear self-needed to step in on behalf of my child when a flurry of birds ran across the street in front of me; a mother quail and a slew of newborn babies.The hatchlings were TINY… each one about the size of a walnut. As they scurried across the street, over the curb and into the cover of the nearby sagebrush, one tiny baby remained in the street. Futilely it tried to hop the same curb that the rest of its family had, but each time it took its momentous leap, it hit the curb. After a few of these attempts it sat there in the gutter, still. When I walked over I could tell it was dazed but not hurt. I quickly scooped it into my bare hand and with a sweeping motion gently flung it upward. With a flurry of its little wings, it disappeared into the brush to find the rest of its feathered kin.My interaction with that little bird happened close to twenty years ago, and I no longer remember with any clarity what parenting decision I made after that… but I know it was informed by the direct wisdom I received from the Interactive Universe.The fact that I can’t remember much about the outcome of my parental conundrum that day is not a worry to me- because the conundrums, the questions, the struggles…. these reasons we seek...they are always of secondary importance (even though it never seems that way when we are in the thick of it.) It is the answers that are primary- the synchronicities and the wisdom that is bestowed upon us by the interactive Universe.

The wisdom offered is always the primary take away....

...So although the problem I was pondering that day is long gone, still every once in a while, a situation in life brings me back to thoughts of that little bird… and always, the wisdom of that interaction continues to unfold for me, teaching me different things depending on what life is showing me…

My takeaways so far...

• Sometimes we are that momma bird, and sometimes someone we love just cannot hop the curb and come with us….
• Sometimes we are the tiny bird and we just can’t make the leap to the next level we are trying to get to, without the help of another.
• Sometimes we are the hand that lifts someone else….
• Sometimes it is the hand of God that lifts us….

Because never does wisdom say one thing and nature another….

P.S. I wrote the words above late Thursday night, before news of Anthony Bourdain's suicide broke. As soon as I heard the news clip, again the image of that little bird came to mind, and again the wisdom of that interaction with nature ran through my mind- this time attached to thoughts of both Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade- and I thought of how multi-faceted and universal wisdom always is.....and I thought about how we are all in this together, and how nothing is ever the way it seems....and again I thought of everything that little bird taught me

• Sometimes we are that momma bird, and sometimes someone we love just cannot hop the curb and come with us….
• Sometimes we are the tiny bird and we just can’t make the leap to the next level we are trying to get to without help from the outside.
• Sometimes we are the hand that lifts up another….
• Sometimes it is the hand of God that lifts us….

Because never does wisdom say one thing and nature another….

**If you need help or someone you know may need help you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.**