Random Acts of Mindfulness: Three Examples in Two Days

     Stressed out this past week, I became so absorbed in way too many details that I forgot to be mindful-- forgot to slow down and be aware of the present moment.  Just within the past two days, three examples of mindfulness presented themselves to me.  They reminded me of the power and the impact of awareness of the present, of the here and now.

1.  Driving home from work on a sunny Friday afternoon, I witnessed a scene that is rare in the frantic, quick-paced world in which many of us live.  As my car slowly crept up to a red stoplight, I glanced to my right and noticed a vehicle that had stopped in the lane next to mine.  The driver hopped out of his car, closed the driver's side door, and began pushing the back of his pick-up truck.  Immediately, a man dressed in a suit on the sidewalk, walked straight up to the man and volunteered to push the truck while the owner started his car back up.  No sooner had the man placed his keys in the ignition, then another man, more casually dressed, ran over from the sidewalk to help push the truck into a parking spot about 100 feet away on the side of the road.  Halfway towards its destination, a man riding his bicycle toward the scene, promptly parked his bike and joined in on the effort.  Still wearing his helmet, he too pushed the truck from behind.  Three strangers, suddenly united by an event that they had witnessed, jumped to action as they were mindful of the moment and aware of how their actions would positively affect others.  At the end of a crazybusy week, this scene was inspiring.

2.  This afternoon I enjoyed a relaxing lunch with my good friend Nancy and a former colleague of ours.  I loved the cafe.   The atmosphere speaks to me with its multiple areas for dining (some tables and some comfortable couches and chairs), a delicious menu, and flyers that adorn the bulletin boards announcing concerts for singer/songwriters and book clubs that meet in the cafe.   While waiting for our meal, we began chatting with one of the owners of the cafe who spoke of the multiple activities she manages to squeeze into her week including working at the cafe as well as taking a class.  It turned out that her class is none other than the Stressed Based Reduction Workshop at MGH, created by Jon Kabat-Zinn.  She talked with us about meditation, full body scans, exercises on CDs, and the effect that the techniques are having on her life.  Although she mentioned that she initially had difficulty getting into the techniques, as she has continued with the course, she has been realizing the benefits that they have had in helping her to slow down and relax.  Listening to her speak reminded me of the impact that every mindfulness workshop that I have taken has had on me.   It was a great reminder for me of why it is so important to keep up with mindfulness practices, especially during times of increased stress and busyness.  It is precisely when I have the least time for mindfulness practices that they are the most important to include into my daily routine.

3.  After lunch I was nervous about driving home since I was in an area that I don't normally drive to.  Mapquesting directions to get there, I had forgotten to write down directions for the way home.   Notorious for my lack of a sense of direction, my friends are usually patient with me in describing different routes, drawing out maps for me, and describing landmarks.  One friend described multiple ways that I could drive and with each option, my eyes glazed over more and more as I lost track of the street names and the turns.  Nancy turned to me and said, "You can follow me.  I am going in the same direction."  Mindful of how stressed out I become about driving in unknown locations, not only did she volunteer to lead me to the correct place until I knew where I was going, Nancy was also incredibly aware of where my car was as I followed her.   There were multiple occasions where it would have been very easy for her to lose me whether it was driving around a rotary, being stopped at a stoplight after she had driven through the yellow light, or having a huge truck enter the highway.   Each and every time Nancy made sure that I could still find her car-- even pulling over to the side of the road to wait for me.  I deeply appreciated the care that she took to make sure that I did not get lost, especially as the dark sky threatened an imminent thunder storm!


Mindful acts can take many forms-- whether they consist of being aware of a scene unfolding before us, learning and practicing mindfulness techniques to reduce stress in our daily lives, or being aware of how our actions positively affect others.  Acts of mindfulness are inspiring, invigorating, and relaxing for me.   As I enter a very last seven weeks of school, I hope that I remember to take time to be mindful.

An Asthmatic Unravels the Mysteries of Breathing: Being Mindful of Relaxation Techniques

          Although my asthma has been awful this past week due to high pollen counts, the last few months have been filled with aha moments and new insights for me in how my breathing works.  Reflecting on what I've learned about how I breathe throughout the years has helped me to understand what types of relaxation techniques are helpful for me.  Being mindful of my body and my health continually leads me to learn about what helps me to feel centered and calm.

          As an asthmatic, the idea of mindful breathing as a relaxation technique is a paradox for me.  For most people, taking deep breaths in and out is an exercise that helps to center and calm them.  As someone who has breathing issues, this strategy is hit or miss for me.  Sometimes it is relaxing and at others, all I want to do is not think about how my breathing is off—whether it is shallow, staggered, hyperventilating, gasping, etc.   At these times, focusing on the act of breathing is anxiety provoking, not relaxing.

         Throughout the years, I’ve learned different techniques to help me relax when my breathing is compromised.  In high school, I saw a great allergist who helped me to distinguish between what were allergic symptoms and what was hyperventilating from a panic attack.  Strategies such as breathing into a paper bag or into my cupped hands helped to regulate my breathing, bringing more carbon dioxide into my system and helping to slow down my quickened heartbeat.  Doing this helped to relax me.

          About ten years later, I became interested in learning how to breathe correctly since the common phrase, “Just slowly take some deep breaths”, has never made sense to me.  I signed up for a breathing workshop involving taking deep breaths while watching and feeling one’s stomach rise and fall.  I could never seem to make my stomach rise and fall consistently in a steady pattern.  Rather than a relaxing exercise, it was a frustrating one.  I could never figure out why I couldn’t breathe correctly until several years later when I was diagnosed with asthma.

         Coming to understand my inability to feel my stomach muscles has also helped inform how my breathing has not worked correctly.   Around the same time I officially became an asthmatic, I was also going to physical therapy.  My physical therapist informed me that I had poor core stability when she watched in amazement as I could not even complete one sit-up!  It took about two months of working with her twice a week before I was able to start feeling and understanding the stomach muscles that I was supposed to be using in doing some of the exercises.  Before then, it was as if my body didn’t even acknowledge those muscles.

         Fast forward several years later when I started going to acupuncture.  One of the many symptoms that I am treated for is digestive issues and there are four stomach points that I usually receive directly on my stomach.  Within weeks, I began feeling more definition in my stomach muscles and I remember telling my acupuncturist, “Oh, these are the muscles my physical therapist has been talking about!”  When I performed the physical therapy exercises I could feel myself using these muscles in a way that I hadn’t been able to before.  Very cool!

          It was also during these acupuncture sessions that I continued to discover how different my breathing was from most people’s.   My acupuncturist knows me very well and she can often anticipate which points might sting or hurt a little bit going in.  She used to give me the advice of breathing out to help me relax before she put them in.  Strangely though, I discovered that breathing in actually helped me more than the breathing out.  She remarked that she had never seen that before but that if it worked for me, than go for it!

              I started realizing that that tendency to breathe in rather than out to relax as well my inability to consistently feel some of my stomach muscles were contributing to some of my difficulties in breathing.  This was confirmed about two years ago when my acupuncturist introduced me to some incredible herbs that dramatically affected my breathing in the most positive way!  For the first time, when I breathed, I felt that my lungs were connected to my stomach.  I could actually feel the breath moving between my lungs and my stomach.  I had never felt that sensation before—either my lungs had filled with air or my stomach filled with air, but never at the same time.  It felt as though a tube had opened up between both parts of my body, allowing an open exchange of oxygen.   It took me several weeks to adjust to this new way of breathing but boy did it feel great!

              Over the course of the several years that I have seen my acupuncturist, she has described to me how my diaphragm does not fully expand all of the time.  (One of the main reasons why the advice to “Just Take Deep Breaths” does not really work for me!)   I’ve never been able to consistently take deep breaths where both my lungs and stomach filled with air.   A few months ago, I had an “Aha Moment” as to how to really take deep breaths.  In March, the fourth and fifth graders at my school have been taking the MCAS test.    One of the fourth graders became very anxious and my friend Grace engaged her in "Brownie Breathing".  Rather than tell her to take deep breaths, she asked her to imagine breathing in the smell of a brownie.  (Yum!)   As she instructed the student, she acted out what this meant by raising her arms and her chest up.  There was something about seeing the actual movement that helped me to understand how to take in that deep breath.  I loved the idea of focusing on a smell as a way of regulating breathing, rather than the breath itself.

Driving to school a few days later, I realized that I was doing the same thing upon witnessing an incredible sunrise-- but instead of focusing on a smell, I was focusing on a sight.  When I became aware of one of the most glorious sunrises that I have ever seen, I felt my lungs expand and my stomach rise.  I felt my body fill up with air and feelings of calmness and serenity wash over me.  I felt my lungs and my chest rise up.

A few days later when I was feeling stressed, I imagined seeing that sunrise and my body automatically went through the same motions of taking in the deep breaths.  By repeatedly imagining the sunrise, I could replicate the deep breath over and over.  In doing this, I became aware of what stomach muscles I was using to do this, the same ones that I had started to become aware of in acupuncture.  It was a new sensation for me.  Over the past few months I have been practicing that movement of “Sunrise Breathing.”  It has started to become easier and easier for me to initiate the act of deep breathing and to use it when I am feeling stressed.  It does help me feel more centered and calm.  Very cool!

Photo by Susan Erickson 

The last piece of this whole breathing puzzle fell into place a few weeks ago upon viewing my friend Susan’s incredible picture that she took one morning before school.  I love the way that light is dispersed in this picture—it has a light, airy, and mystical feel to it.  For some reason, as I was practicing my breathing one day I began imagining this image.  I started thinking about the breath and the oxygen moving through my body like the light in the picture.  Thinking about the air expanding in a light and airy way helped my lungs, my stomach, my diaphragm to expand more fully.  The combination of “Sunrise Breathing” with this visualization technique has furthered my ability to breathe in a way that is more like the way most people breathe.

Although it is difficult for me to access my new found breathing techniques when I have asthma flare-ups, I am becoming more adept at accessing them when I am feeling stressed.  By practicing my breathing techniques during times when I feel calm, it increases my ability to use them more successfully when I am feeling stressed.  I hear that meditation works in a similar way.  Although my asthma has been acting up, I feel encouraged that I have been learning new ways to regulate my breathing.

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To Readers of My Blog:   In what ways does being mindful about your body help you feel more centered and calm?   How does it help you to relax?

          

Neuroplasticity: The Joy and Excitement of Learning Keeps Us Young

     Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to change with learning.  Research shows that as we get older, by continually learning new things, we have the ability to keep our brains young.  In my continual endeavor to learn photography, I do indeed feel young-- with a burst of energy and excitement whenever I learn something new.  One of my favorite ways of learning is by asking questions and then finding the answers.  Sometimes I don't immediately find the anwers to my questions-- sometimes I find them slowly over time...

     My inspiration to begin nature photography began one cool crisp October morning when I pulled into the parking lot at my school.  In looking out at the baseball field in front of me, I beheld the most incredible sight.-- sunlight streaming through the trees as if it were raining sun!

                          



It has been a year and a half since I
took these pictures and I haven't come
across another scene like this.

     I've wondered what conditions caused these rays of sunlight-- I'd love to see them again!   With this question lingering in the back of my mind, I was thrilled to finally find the answer at an unexpected moment.  Last week I was flipping through a book entitled, Fine Art Photography: Water, Ice, Fog-- Photographic Techniques and the Art of Interpretation, by Tony Sweet.  I stopped at a page that displayed a picture with the same type of incredible rays of sunlight.  On page 94, Tony Sweet explains that these rays are called "crepuscular rays", sometimes called god rays.  "Light streaking through trees occurs most often when it's very moist (dewy), usually in the morning...When the bright sun in the blue sky goes behind big opaque clouds, rays will shoot out from behind the cloud."  (Finally an answer to my question!)

     Knowing this information will not make it more likely that I will happen upon this type of scene in the future.  However, it will certainly help me know what kinds of conditions will bring a greater likelihood of seeing these types of rays and let me know when I should have my camera handy.  Also, having this type of information will prevent me from feeling frustrated that I am not able to frequently get shots with this type of effect.

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     Coincidentally, I was able to verify the accuracy of Tony Sweet's information a few days later during a conversation with my friend Susan.  The previous day she had posted a striking image on Facebook of crepuscular rays illuminating the trees and the lamp posts in front of our school.  Like me, she did not manipulate her picture in any way.  She just happened to be in the right place, at the right time, to behold this incredible sight!  Susan had the good sense to take out her camera and with her incredible eye for detail and composition, she knew just the right angle to take this shot.

Photo by Susan Erickson

    
     When I told Susan about how crepuscular rays are created, she mentioned that there were indeed drops of water on the trees that morning!  Since I was not able to remember the weather conditions that had created the sunlight streaming through the trees of my picture, it was neat to be able to examine Susan's picture in that way.
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     Learning new things is exciting, invigorating, and does keep my brain feeling young.  One of the reasons that I love the online photography class that I am taking is that I find that it is continually answering many of the questions that I have had and is inspiring new thoughts and questions.  There are many parts of the learning process that I find to be exciting-- experimenting when taking pictures, watching the videos in my online class, sharing and discussing ideas with other people, and of course, asking questions and finding the answers.


To Readers of my Blog:  I would love to hear about an exciting learning experience that you have had.  What did you learn and what made the learning process exciting for you?


                                                                                       

Unexpected Moments of Mindfulness: A Seasonal Retrospective

When we see something unexpected, it stops us in our tracks.  Taking a moment to think about it can draw us right into the present moment-- giving us the perfect opportunity to practice mindfulness.  

This happened to me on Friday afternoon while taking pictures at a rather cloudy and gray Spy Pond.  Pointing my camera upwards at some tree limbs, I suddenly spotted a heart shape.  

Normally hidden from view, the heart seemed to jump right out at me since I was paying attention to this particular tree.  Drawing me straight into the moment, I began pondering how the tree limbs formed this shape and if there were other shapes hidden in nature which often get passed by, unnoticed.  

I thought about a tree that I had photographed several weeks ago that possessed an intriguing shape.  I loved how its silhouette contrasted the blues in the sky.

To me, it is fascinating how different pairs of eyes can detect different interpretations of the same picture.  My friend Grace commented that it, "Looks like someone's head on the left-- her arms are stretched as well."

What is truly great about Mother Nature is that she provides us with incredible sights throughout the seasons that allow us to behold them in awe and just dwell with them, in the moment.  Last summer, I stumbled across the most gigantic sunflowers I had ever laid eyes upon in Providence, Rhode Island.  

The fall has given me the opportunity to marvel at the various ways that sunlight can illuminate a scene.  Driving into my school parking lot one morning, my eyes fell upon the most incredible scene.  As my friend Ali commented, "It was raining sun!"   

                    









It left me wondering why the sun had illuminated the trees like that this morning.  I had never beheld such a sight before and I have not yet again since that day.  About a month later, I pulled into the same parking lot, greeted by the following scene.  

Witnessing scenes like this by the baseball field at my school has led me to dub it, "The Magical Field".  It has left me thirsty for more wondrous sights like these.  I continually jump at the opportunity to grab my camera and capture these types of images on film when I witness them.

The fall provided sunsets with bright colors, illuminating the dark naked branches of the trees...

           














...playful cloud shapes to ponder

My friend Brenda commented that this looks like a T Rex.

 ...and brilliantly colored fall leaves that ignited the landscape, setting it on fire.  These scenes let me wondering if these colors truly existed in nature, taking my breath away when I came across them.

            
               




                        The magnificent reds

The staggering oranges

An incredible array of colors

      






The winter left me wondering how an element as dangerous as ice (causing me to slip, fall, and be quite beaten and bruised the previous year) could also be so beautiful.  I marveled at the perfect shape of this icicle.  

And I stood in wonder at the size of the icicles below-- nervous about what might happen when they fell!

By my front porch

Outside of my School

 
                      











In the winter, it is thrilling to me when bright colors enter my photography, as much of the winter landscape is usually covered in white.  Taking pictures by bodies of water, I am always inspired to look for reflections.  However, instead of realistic images of nature, at times, beautiful abstract pieces of art lay before me.  These leave me wondering about the conditions of the environment that cause these vibrant colors and intriguing patterns.  The two pictures below are both from one of my favorite locations, Spy Pond.

 











With the arrival of spring, I think about some of the moments that inspired me to take pictures last year.  The unexpected closeness of an animal....

A Swan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Frog

A Duck

...the incredible way that the sun illuminated these flowers and the wire fence surrounding them.  Who knew that wire could look so beautiful?

...and the patterns hidden in tree trunks.

Both Grace and I thought this looked like elephant skin.  However, I thought it looked like an eye while Grace thought it looked like an upside down question mark. In being mindful about images, there is never just one correct interpretation!

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A few months ago I was struck by the idea that objects that we usually walk right past and don't consider to be beautiful can provide for some of the most eye-opening moments of unexpected mindfulness.  Who knew that such interesting shapes could be found in an object that is usually so boring and monotone-- concrete!

As spring descends upon us, I encourage all of you to go outside and be open to unexpected moments of mindfulness.  Breathe them in, enjoy them, and take a moment to ponder them.  They are truly incredible, breathtaking, and awe-inspiring.

Water Reflection Pictures: How the Sunlight Affects the Types of Pictures that Can Be Taken

Taking photographs in nature is a mindful activity for me, making me very tuned into the details of my environment.  During the last few weeks, I have become very aware of weather conditions and how they affect my pictures, particularly at one of my favorite locations, Spy Pond.  My friend Grace, photographer extraordinaire, continually takes pictures of reflections in water (often in rivers) that intrigue me. They have inspired me to take pictures of images reflected in water.

Sometimes an almost exact replication of an image can be reflected in the water.

I love the effect that cropping a picture and rotating it creates.  It looks like a painting by Monet.

I also like the way that nature scenes look when they are reflected in water.  In the shot below, trees are reflected in the water.

In the next picture, I was originally intrigued by how accurately this tree's branches were reflected in the water and how the branch itself and it's reflection touched at the water's edge.

Grace suggested that I crop out only the reflection.   When the eye focuses on only the reflection, without the context of the rest of the scene, a much more mysterious image is created.

In the following picture, I like the way that the reflection of the duck in the water adds an additional element of interest to the picture.

Not only can water create realistic looking reflections of objects from nature, but it can also create very abstract looking artistic pieces.  I love the way that water can bend light, creating wavy lines and at times, capturing phenomenally bright colors.

     











The light hitting upon the water can also create interesting textures and patterns.

It is neat to see the interplay in some pictures of the realism of nature with the abstract elements (wavy lights and colors).  This picture almost looks like a multimedia picture of different mediums.

And another picture that starts off with a realistic theme (a tree) but looks rather abstract.

So this weekend, with the bright sunlight and camera in hand, I set out to Spy Pond (twice) to take some reflection pictures in water.  What I discovered was that the weather, (except the temperature which was a bit too chilly) was too perfect.  Both of the times that I visited Spy Pond, there was not a cloud in the sky, the sun shone brightly, and the sky was a gorgeous bright blue.  Walking around the perimeter of Spy Pond I could not glimpse even one reflection in the water.  Instead, the water was a bright blue, reflecting the image of the sky.   Instead of realistic images of trees or abstract wavy lines and bright colors, I breathed in the sparking blue water and the sunlight bouncing off of the ripples.

What I learned this weekend was that the weather plays a big part in the types of pictures that I can take near the water.  With bright sunny weather, my pictures are best focused on the surface of the water-- capturing the way the sunlight sparkles and bounces.  Water reflection pictures are better saved for days that are not so perfect-- when there are some clouds in the sky and the sunlight is more varied.   I'm glad that I learned this lesson this weekend so that I can know what types of pictures will come out best during various kinds of weather.

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To Readers of my Blog:   How does the sunlight and the weather affect the way that you interact with and perceive nature?

Acupuncture and Sunrise Breathing for Relaxation

As an asthmatic, the relaxation advice that most people give (Take deeper breaths) doesn't usually work for me.  In fact, at times, focusing on my breathing can make me even more anxious, especially when my breathing is off.  As a result, I'm always looking for alternative strategies to help me de-stress.  The past few weeks have been stressful and anxiety-provoking for me-- both personally and professionally.  Luckily, there have been two strategies that have helped me to relax by being mindful of the present moment-- acupuncture and sunrise breathing.

Acupuncture

I've long been a fan of acupuncture-- in fact, this May will mark three and a half years since I first started.  It is incredible to me the dramatic effects that acupuncture has on my body.  As a noninvasive medical treatment, it is very satisfying to me that such positive change can come about without the use of chemicals and standard Western medications.  

In the past two weeks alone, acupuncture has done wonders for my stress level.  Last week, I entered my  appointment feeling frazzled and overwhelmed by the level of details that I had been swimming in all day (scheduling, preparing for MCAS, meetings, teachings, etc.)  Feeling bogged down by the stress of the day, I had difficulty seeing beyond it and my energy level felt both frantic and heavy at the same time.  Feeling my pulse, my acupuncturist told me that it was wiry, indicating my stress and anxiety.

By the end of my half hour treatment, I felt more centered and calm and my acupuncturist reported that my pulse felt more steady.  Upon leaving the office, I felt a new kind of energy-- lighter and more creative.  I felt happy, looking forward to the rest of the evening rather than dreading the tasks that needed to be completed that night.  As I've often said, "Acupuncture rocks!"

Sunrise Breathing

I've coined the term "Sunrise Breathing" after my friend Grace's expression, "Brownie Breathing."   This past week, the fourth and fifth graders at my school have been taking the MCAS test.  For those of you who live outside of Massachusetts, these are the big standardized tests that the students take each year in reading, math, and sometimes science, depending on the grade level.  One of the fourth graders became very anxious and Grace engaged her in "Brownie Breathing".  Rather than tell her to take deep breaths, she asked her to imagine breathing in the smell of a brownie.  (Yum!)  This particular student didn't like brownies so she pictured breathing in the wonderful scent of mint chocolate chip ice cream instead.  I loved this idea-- focusing on a smell as a way of regulating breathing and creating feelings of calmness-- rather than the breath itself.

Driving to school a few mornings ago, I realized that I was doing the same thing upon witnessing the incredible sunrise-- but instead of focusing on a smell, I was focusing on a sight.  Feeling stressed about all of the details that needed to be attended to before the students began taking their MCAS test that day, I began my drive to work feeling pretty wound up and tense.  Suddenly, halfway there, I became aware of one of the most glorious sunrises that I have ever seen.  After a night of rain, the sky appeared to still be swollen with clouds.  The moisture lingering in the air, coupled with the morning sunlight, created deep blue and purple clouds.  The sunlight that shone upon the yellow trees turned them into glowing golden branches which sharply contrasted against the colors in the sky.  

Within less than a minute, my attention was fully absorbed by driving and by my environment.  All other thoughts and feelings disappeared.  I was fully in the moment.  Feelings of calmness and serenity washed over me, coupled with an eager creative energy to grab my camera and take pictures.  Upon pulling into the school parking lot, the responsible part of my brain took over, and I reluctantly walked inside to face the day, feeling calmer than I had upon leaving my house.

Although I was not able to capture the incredible sunrise on film, throughout the day as stress and tension crept its way back into my brain, thinking of this incredible sunrise was a great antidote.  Now, some of my favorite relaxation techniques include photography, writing, acupuncture, and sunrise breathing.

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To readers of my blog:  I'm always looking for new relaxation techniques to try.  I'm curious what helps you to unwind, relax, and de-stress.   I would love to hear your thoughts....

 

 

Magical Places; Inspiring, Life Changing, Comforting

     A magical place is where something extraordinary and incredible happens that makes you look at the world in a different way.  Magical places can be inspiring, life changing, comforting or all of the above.  For me, one of my favorite magical places is the baseball field beside the parking lot at my school.  One crisp fall day in 2009, I pulled my car into the parking lot and the most amazing sight lay right before my eyes-- sunlight streaming in through the tree branches.  As one of my friends commented, "It was raining sun!"

     Excitedly, I ran into the school building to borrow a camera from my friend, Grace.  I couldn't wait to capture these incredible images on film.  And that's when my love of nature photography was born.  Beautiful scenes, click of a camera, upload to a computer, share pictures with friends-- I'm sold!

     Not even a month later, another breathtaking scene lay before me as I pulled my car up to the same parking lot.  The lighting, the clouds, the patterns-- Wow!

     Fast forward to around this time last year-- March 10, 2010.  22 years ago to that day, my dad had passed away in a car accident.  That morning, before school, although I had a to-do list a mile long, I did not feel compelled to do any of it.  I had a feeling that if I went to the magical field, something special would happen.  And indeed it did.  

     Armed with my digital camera, I stood in them middle of the magical field waiting for a spectacular scene to unfold.  Although I did take a few pretty good shots, that's not where the magic happened.  It happened after I stopped taking pictures.

     Standing still in the middle of the magical field, a stillness, a calm, came over me.  I became highly attuned to the sounds (the soft rustling of the leaves), the sights (the color of the leaves and the morning sunlight peaking through the branches).  And then I heard it...a voice inside of me...my dad speaking to me.

     Walking back into the school building, I was inspired.  A poem just seemed to pour out from me as I sat at the wooden bench seat, at a window that overlooks the river flowing behind my school.  


                                     
                                                    Morning Whisper

                                                                   Dad spoke to me this morning
                                                                    Not in a loud booming voice
                                                                      but in a quiet, steady whisper
                                                                         "I am here."

                                                                   Amidst frost-tinged grass
                                                                    Piercing cold air penetrating my fingertips, my lungs
                                                                       Shadows cast across the field by trees
                                                                          "I am here."


                                                                   In the calls of the morning birds
                                                                     The sliver moon waving from between tree branches
                                                                        Morning sunlight streaming from brilliant blue sky
                                                                           "I am here."


                                                                  Standing real still
                                                                     Crunchy, frozen leaves underfoot
                                                                        I breathe in dad's voice
                                                                           As he speaks to me.




The poem was very comforting to me and much more important than the other things on my to-do list that morning, which I have long since forgotten.  Even now, writing about this almost a year later, the poem comforts me as the 23rd anniversary of my dad's death approaches.  This field has convinced me of the importance of allowing ourselves to be open to the power of magical places.



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To the readers of my blog:  I would love to hear about one of your magical places and why it is magical for you.  If you feel inspired, please leave a comment.