Harmony and balance

I was thinking a lot the past little while about harmony with the environment around us. I think all of us (me included) fear so much of our immediate surroundings that we make ourselves sick with anxiety and worry. Literally sick. I find that when I spend time out in nature at the very least twice a week, I am happier and more calm. I wonder if all of the stress in our culture doesn't have to do with our disconnecting from nature. We use artificial lights to stay up late into the night, we override our circadian rhythms and rush around during the formerly restful winter months, and we bombard our bodies with all sorts of unnatural additives, chemicals, and drugs. Maybe our lives would seem simpler if we all spent a little time reconnecting to nature. It's a thought really. I've been working on this myself. Something else I realized reflecting yesterday is that I would love to take a monthly retreat somewhere away from the stresses of my day to day living. I think camping once a month would be incredible. Maybe even an all day hike through nature? I don't know. Meditation has really been showing me how important it is for me to take that quiet down time to rejuvenate. I'm glad I took a personal day yesterday. I think from now on, I will use Sundays as my reflection and solitude days. I will definitely make next Sunday a little more restful. The phone for sure needs to go off. Now for my poem! I actually wrote this around 1 am this morning. Enjoy!


Lament of the Forest

Weep my child for the mysteries your brothers fail to see
Wail my dear for the majesty of what I used to be.
Your homes and cars have choked my air
Expansion destroys my wonders fair.
Birdsong has been replaced by a thousand screaming horns.
Crisp, clear dawns have changed instead to toxic, smoggy morns.
I would show you the way to happiness, I would give to you relief
But instead you continue your destructive ways mired in false belief.
Who among you can design a marvel like a tree?
Your most intricate plans pale beside it’s natural intricacy.
Can your perfumes and colognes compete with all my flowers?
You choose to scramble and pine away your precious living hours.
I weep with clouds and thunderbolts the mess you all have made.
I pray with all my bows upraised the world can still be saved.
A return to balance is the key but which of you will see?
More important still is who will be the one to save a tree?