“The Light of Spirit surrounds us; the Love of Spirit enfolds us; the Power of Spirit protects us; the Presence of Spirit watches over us; Spirit wells in us. Wherever we are, Spirit is, and All Is Well.”Not too long ago I discovered a slice of Paradise near my house. I had arrived too early to meet a friend at a local park and, since it was a beautiful day, I decided to get out of the car and take a walk. As I ventured down the trail, I saw a wooden bridge breaking off the main path, so I decided to follow it. The bridge led to a swampy area tucked behind the woods, one I never knew was there.
The sight was breathtaking. Due to heavy rains of late, the body of water appeared swollen and pregnant with life of all different types. No matter where my eyes rested, something moved – from tadpoles to insects and even a few snakes quietly soaking the warmth of the day atop of rotten logs.
I sat on the bridge and listened. The many voices blended into a primal song, interrupted only by the incessant call of a lone bird perched on a branch nearby. The air smelled earthy and slightly musty - the result of decaying wood mixed with the fragrance of new growth exploding all around.
Somehow, although I was alone, I didn’t feel that way. I lied down on the bridge and looked up toward the skyline, noticing how some of the trees had bent and were now curving toward one another, their branches and leaves eager to connect - some of them close enough to resemble hands joined in a silent prayer.
Those trees piqued my attention. For an instant I felt protected and safe, tucked away from the rest of the world and able to open my heart to the beauty of Spirit manifesting all around, if only for a brief moment.
In that flash of time I knew I was one with all there is. No hierarchy or race supremacy – big or small, young or old, in that natural setting I was no different than the beetle carefully making its way around a thorn bush.
We are taught that the human race is superior to other animals, and we are able to control our environment to fit our existence, but in reality that’s nothing more than an ego fix. Viruses defy our advanced science and morph into new forms we can’t control, and natural events have the power to wipe away human structures –Nature only allows us to cling to an illusion of control, but reserves the last word to remind us that in the end, we are just another form of creation.
I was always taught that all life matters, regardless of what it looks like. Just because we can’t see the greater picture we can’t assume we have the right to decide the worth of another aspect of creation. We are all part of the One, and the One is part of All. And that is all we need to know.
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