Retweeting to Renew the Soul

October 17th, 2010

        Well,it definitely is Fall. Leaves cover the front lawn like some lush carpet. All of the acorns that littered the backyard have been either buried or eaten by busy squirrels. It is interesting to watch that busy almost frantic attempt to bury or eat them. I'm sure one of them is a workaholic!  Some of the acorns had only a bite taken out of them, and like some spoiled child taking a bite of one cookie before going on to the next, the squirrels left a banquet for the birds who otherwise couldn't have broken into the food wrapped in its hard little shell. It was almost like a production line, the grey squirrels burying the acorns and the red squirrels on a feeding frenzy, followed by the noisy squabbling of the birds as they dined on the abundance of the half eaten acorns.

        Almost a parable for life itself. Life is busy. We are into our fall routines. Distractions! Decisions! Appointments. Disappointments! Deadlines!. Schedules to keep! People to meet! One or two to avoid! It is the chaos of the treadmill of life. Sometimes we just need to get away from it all to recharge our batteries.

        Somewhere along the way, I came across an article that give some instruction on how to disconnect with the demands of modern day life. The article focused on how because of phones and e-mail and all the bells and whistles that are the sounds of modern technology, we cannot get 'away' anymore.

        Hence the title of this meditation. Retweeting to Renew the soul. The best, easiest and most inexpensive way of renewing the soul is to seek a few moments of solitude by immersing yourself in the solitude of and the beauty that is nature. 

        Running for me is one way of doing this on a regular basis. It is part of my daily routine like brushing my teeth. I never take the cell phone. This is my time. To go for a run, especially this time of the year, as the sun shimmers through the leaves in all of their autumn colours. A riot of colour.  A feast for the eyes. To see the leaves tumbling and turning as they dance in the wind or to feel the cool breeze on your face, or through your hair lifts the spirit.

The light and shadows play together to make perfect patterns and the freshness of the air fills the lungs. To feel the soft earth carpeted with its cushion of leaves, perhaps catching a glimpse of a startled deer, as it looks with concern before darting and disappering among the changing shadows. And always the squirrels are scrambling among the branches and scolding any who come along to disturb their solitude!

This is the time to quieten your mind and all the thoughts running through it and simply relax into your run. This is your time. Run by the river as it gently makes its way to the sea. Run by the ocean and let the hypnotic rhythms caress your soul. Look at the vastness of the sky. Let your worries be washed away by the river or erased by the waves. Leave them all behind. This is your time.

We are a part of nature. Reconnecting with nature is always a reminder of our own place in the wider world around us and that is often an empowering thought in and of itself. The beauty of nature and the solitude it affords, its rhythms and sights and sounds and smells can soothe our ragged spirit, and calm our tired souls and ignite a warm sense of belonging within us. We can all benefit from a time of solitude by connecting with nature and disconnecting with the demands and chaos of our busy lives. Retreat not retweet!