Being on the land always brings pleasure to my soul. I’ve been running to the wilderness all of my life. Finding spaces to observe the wonders of creation and allow my soul to rest. This was my daily pastime as a young child. We had a wilderness at the end of our one-street neighborhood. It was wonderful! A large creek that always had a strong current (or so we thought, at such a young age). Plenty of wildlife, including many snakes which we delighted in catching. We had snake hunting excursions. We built forts and dams, swung from vines and discovered new things every summer. We learned to frog gig on that creek. We hunted squirrels and rabbits as we walked the fields…always to ultimately arrive at “the creek” – our wilderness, the haven. This small, single lane neighborhood was the adventure land of my daily childhood.
Today I run to the river. The reparian buffer (a term I’ve only recently learned) is that space between the river and where we trod that is to be left alone – untouched – allowed to grow and thrive; to die off or push through; to dance as it desires. And dancing is exactly what it is doing in September. The flowers are shouting. The milk pods are birthing. Life is full. It provides shelter and space for the wildlife. It protects the water from our more damaging actions. It is life giving. And as I walk it today, it is a holy space.
I don’t own land anymore. So it is the true grace of God that a path by the river has been provided just outside my door. All I need to do is make time to to walk there and see the gifts God has ready to offer anyone who comes. I hear the poet in my ear:
I sha’n’t be gone long.- you come too. -Robert Frost
Rainbow – Kacey Musgraves
Life in the Deep End 