Making It In The Shade

Monday, August 4th, 2014

FernsGround CoverTrees

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I have a woods behind my home which I love to take walks through. The forest is a stark contrast from my own yard which is full of sun. I love my sunny yard with its colors and sounds, but something happens when you walk in the shade under a canopy of leaves held by the sturdy trunks and branches of Maple and Beech trees. The temperature drops and a sheltered stillness enters your heart as you feel the protection of nature. When the sun peeks through the foliage nature’s shade garden becomes vibrant with moss on fallen trees, ferns, and in spring Trillium, Blood Root, Jack in the Pulpits, and May Apples cover the forest floor.

Everything is quieter in the woods while being louder at the same time. The drone of traffic and urban noise is replaced with the hum of nature. Birds, frogs, and insects communicate in their own ways. It makes you want to speak more softly, tread lighter, and just slow down. Nature is not in a hurry. It is patient. The trees take what comes. The animals do what they need to do to prepare for winter. They just do what needs to be done without complaint. The forest is a place where the cares of our world can fade if for a moment.

So go take a walk and contemplate all of the gifts of life.

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