Beside Restful Waters

by Greg Hermann

- The fifth homecoming is the earth. Begin by reflecting on…how the earth sustains your life and the lives of countless beings…Coming home to the earth means touching the earth, acknowledging the earth… allowing [her] to hold you and, as [she] holds you, understanding that [she] is loving you as well… Say welcome to the earth. Relax. Inhale. Exhale and come home to being held by [Mother] earth.

Richard Wagamese

Embers: An Ojibway’s Meditations

This is my favorite place of welcome. I have taken a life time to cultivate this appreciation. Yet in times of reflection, I recall experiences when Mother Earth left her impressions with me in my childhood.

Let’s face it: it doesn’t take much to impress a kid. There’s frogs and dogs, bugs and grubs, puddles - puddles ? I spent a great deal of my childhood in puddles. Hours in puddles revealed tadpoles searching for life; bugs that could walk on water; funny looking things that captured attention. I was totally absorbed in this space. I was in love when I did not have a clue of the nature of love. However, I knew I was safe, energized, engrossed.

At present, I have a greater appreciation for simple presence. An even greater joy is brought from experiences with children and grandchildren. Here there is the full spectrum of relationships to observe. Grandchildren offer the simple joy of fearless presence before so many learned prejudices impose the right and wrong of life. Their parents are in the place of undoing their prejudices to connect with the pure joy of their childhood.

Mother Earth exercises her patience with us all. She waits and teaches without a care about our religious preferences; without interest in our racial identification; without expressing a bias toward any of our learned, crippling stuff. She simply offers everything we will ever need to know unconditional love, a love that offers us the opportunity to thrive in all aspects of nurture, healing, forgiving …… the fullness of life.

Today I inhale and exhale.

I know Mother Earth as

Love

Courage

Respect

Humility

Honesty

Wisdom

Truth

Namaste’