Have you ever been kissed by a tree? We have some palm trees in our back yard. Yesterday, as I was sitting outside enjoying the beautiful, fall weather, the wind started blowing. The branches on the palm tree started moving and brushing against me like my skin was getting little kisses from the leaves. With the large branches swaying around me, it almost felt like I was getting a hug from God. It is these quiet, peaceful moments that remind us of what life is all about…our connections.
I’m talking about our connections with nature, with other people, with wildlife, with earth. Most of us just feel better when we take time to really connect. This connection could come from playing in the sand at the beach, helping at a homeless shelter, mentoring someone or fostering a stray animal. Everything is connected somehow and it’s when we don’t nurture those connections that we start to feel lost and alone. It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of our lives. We put in extra time at the office or run our kids around to their many different activities, but most of the time we are not really connecting with anyone or anything. It is very important to take time to fulfill this necessary part of our lives. We can be as busy as we want, but if we are not fully available in the current moment and fully aware of the people and opportunities around us we are not making any real connections.
You are a very important person. Make sure you take the time to make some real connections. Or better yet, to reconnect with yourself. Sometimes we just need to slow down, re-prioritize and reconnect. Isn’t it time you let yourself be kissed by a tree?
I love this. And you probably guessed that yes, I have been kissed by a tree, too. I didn’t think of it as a kiss at the time, but now I do! I heard a meditaion for kids once that siad when we walk through nature, we can think of each of our breaths saying “I love you” to the plants, and that the plants are saying “I love you” back. After that, when I’m hiking, I actually kiss leaves sometimes I go by them, and say “I love you” to them. Especially my favorite plant, the rhododendron, also called Mountain Laurel. They grow especially well near shady streams in valleys and bloom so pretty. If the leaves are wet with rain or morning dew, it feels nice when they brush against you, too, refreshing. Thanks for the post!
I love that! Thanks for sharing!