Yesterday I walked with a friend in her wooded “back yard.”  She’s the kind of friend who will listen to the crunch of the leaves with you and point out the crumbling lichen on fallen stumps, and remind you to stop to listen to that place on the trail where you can hear the stream bubbling.

We talked about the emergence of Life and about giving space for people to connect to their sense of reverence, in whatever way resonates with them.  I was reminded of this poem by Mary Oliver, which I think is about this way of seeing the world.

So, although we are far from a summer day this crisp November morning, I share this photo from the back yard of a dear friend, and the poem, nestled in the roots of a moment of reverence.