Painting a Living Forest
“Your head is a living forest full of song birds.”-EE Cummings
I came across this beautiful quote by EE Cummings recently.
“Your head is a living forest full of song birds.”
Actually, lately, my head’s more like a washing machine, off balance, on spin cycle. It’s been a challenging month as an American expat living in Spain. Horrible regional storms and flooding closely followed by the bruhaha of elections in the United States can throw any of us off balance.
Returning to the Forest Helps the Return to our inner life.
This quote speaks to the part of me that returns to nature for calm and sustenance. Even in the city I seek out nature. I’ve been walking through the parks daily now. On tree- lined streets I pay attention to all types of trees whose limbs were recently blown to the ground. The tree-focused walks remind me of my inner forest-all the dreams, the values, and energy inside. I also study trees with an artist -eye when studying how light shines through branches and leaves.
Autumn has a golden light and shadows are long across the pavement and grasses.
Just noticing this and allowing it to stir the soul is a balm to balance out the bad news, the haters, the global bullies and fears about our collective future as a nation and planet. Getting out in nature, walking among the trees quiets my head that gets full of the chatter of chickens and cock a toos and hollow hoot of owls blustering through my brain.
It isn’t distraction. It isn’t ignoring the truths of life’s darkness or trials. Wandering among the trees and in nature allows the songbirds to sing more freely. We remember to listen. We remember that we are a living forest, all of us, full of song birds. We can hear them again, singing a refrain of light and hope.
It has been a busy month and for me, a busy year. The road ahead for many of us will be bumpy, recovering from the floods with neighbors who have lost homes, family, and livelihoods is a daunting task. Farms and supply chains, infrastruction, costs are affected by climate catastrophes. We don’t know the coming year(s) of political, social and economic changes in the United States (and therefore, the world).
We can’t afford to be naive and passively wish for the best. Know that the chatter of our civilization will continue. And so we must continue to pay attention, listen, and recognize our kinship with the trees, the forests, nature, full of song birds and other creatures. Gain the spirit’s sustenance so we can roll up our sleeves and go on.
This holiday season. remember to notice the living forest inside and outside your mind.
Take care of yourself, build your strength to grow, learn from the seasons. Even in the city we can return to the forests and nature to quiet the chattering mind. I plan to and this always inspires more artwork which I look forward to sharing with you.