Posts Tagged ‘rebirth’
Happy May
As the saying goes, April showers bring May flowers. As I watch the day unfold with sunshine, I am trying to put the list of things I need to do in some type of priority. Of course there are the regulars that always seem to eat up my weekend like house cleaning, groceries and errands. But on this day, I hear the song of my perennials singing, “Ready or not, here I come!” The daffodils are blooming, the bleeding hearts are budding, and there is a new little friend whose name I can’t remember, a gift from my sister in law, blossoming little white flowers above spotted green leaves. The leaves that I neglected to rake last fall are now compacted on the lawn, and the stalks I left for ‘winter interest’ are now just looking dead as the new green plants are emerging underneath them. It sounds like a lot of work, and there is a part of me that wishes I could wrinkle my nose like Samantha from Bewitched and make my gardens perfect. However, once I’m out there, the feeling of nurturing my plants always brings on a sense of peace and satisfaction. So, I think my regular chores can wait. Gathering up my wheelbarrow, shovel, gloves and rake will inevitably bring about more satisfaction as I focus on my connection with Mother Earth.
The Mighty Eagle
It’s a rare sight for most of us, so I’m considering myself very lucky to have an eagle in the neighbourhood. I can’t tell whether it’s male or female, but it’s very big, its presence ominous. I first spotted it hovering above the lake last fall, and wondered if this was simply a migration stop. Apparently, eagles love fish, and the little lake I live on has plenty of them, so even if there’s a little competition with the herons, it’s a good feeding place. At any rate, it came back this spring and I hope it’ll stick around.
I don’t know very much about the bald eagle, but I do know it is the national symbol of the United States, and a sacred symbol to many native American and Canadian tribes. In some cultures, eagles are considered spiritual messengers between the gods and humans. “They send their prayers to Eagle, so as it rises above the chaos to meet the Creator…it will return with a vision for the people.” (Animal Totem)
I have always been interested in spiritual signs. I seek them, wait for them, and hope to recognize them when they are presented to me. I wonder if the eagle has a message for me? According to the Animal Totem website, an “eagle shows us that people with high ideals need to be able to spread their wings so they can reach for the stars. Eagle brings the gift of clarity of vision. As long as we follow our intuition we will be heading in the right direction.”
Another website on totems says the eagle is a great reminder of our own ability to soar great heights even if it means getting ’scorched’ in the process. Perhaps the message for me is to glide and flap on the air current and let go of the emotional fear of falling – or failing; to be open to new experiences and possibilities, even if they make me uncomfortable. That’s a good message any day of the week.
Easter & Chocolate Traditions
There are many traditions that wrap themselves around Easter, not least of which is egg decorating. Historically, the egg was a symbol of rebirth and new life. What started as a pagan ritual of spring was embraced by early Christians and celebrated during Easter.
I don’t remember egg decorating as a child, but I sure did love to wake up to chocolate and jelly beans on Easter morning. When my nieces and nephews were little (and not so little), we would hide scores of candy outside on my parents two acre property, and watch them scurry through the grass (and sometimes snow) to fill their baskets with loot.
This past week we had a few friends over for ‘craft night’ – which of course entailed egg dying and decorating. There is something magical about the process and I think we all felt like kids in some fashion. To feel young at heart is exactly the kind of rebirth I needed to enter into this years celebration.
Photoblog
