Dear Ones,

I’m glad to be back among you!  

It was good to be “Up North” for a couple of weeks, camping in various locations in northern Michigan for a day or two at a time.  I find it easier to stay grounded when I’m sleeping on the ground (ha!) – I mean, when I’m out in big natural areas.  I can move more slowly and not feel pressured to keep up.  I can wrap my arms around trees and just be with them and breathe, waiting for whatever that shared stillness has to teach me.  I can hear animals move and leaves rustle and waves break with little other sound to distract me.  I can see depth in the night sky, and stars. 

It’s always hard for me to adjust back to city life (did the fighter jets get louder while I was gone??), but I do appreciate the human connections that I have here!  As I transition back to my “regular” life, I hope to be able to maintain some of the slower pace and nurture my connection to the earth – they will serve me well as I re-engage with all those humans and start to discern where I’ll invest my energy over the coming months.  I’m looking forward to our new church year!

In faith and love,

Karen

(8/10/22)