A Year of Gratitude – March 16, 2024

I found my gratitude out in the sunshine today. It was a beautiful day, much nicer than we have any right to expect here in New England this time of year. It felt more like May than March. I made sure to enjoy what I could of it.

Penny Lane got two long strolls today. She was happy to be outside, to be back to our daily walks. I like to think that she enjoys them as much as I do. She walks with her head held high, alert and watching everything around us as we make our way along the regular route.

After two walks, she was ready for a long nap. So, when I headed outside a third time, I went to the woods instead of the sidewalk. I’ve been doing that a lot lately. I like to walk amongst the fallen tree limbs, the dried leaves from last fall, and just look to see what I can discover.

There’s something about walking out in the woods that heightens my senses, makes me more aware of my surroundings. It’s quiet other than the sound of birdsong overhead paired with the sound of crunching leaves and small limbs underfoot. There’s plenty of light, yet it is soft and filtered by the pine trees that tower above me.

I walked about 100 yards from the back door of the old barn today. I stood there in a patch of filtered sunlight and turned me face upwards. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. I did that a few times, pulling my breath deep into my lungs, holding it there for a few seconds, and breathing it out into the woods.

I heard a bluejay nearby. It was singing its sharp song. I didn’t catch sight of it, but I knew it was there.

I watched as a squirrel scampered through a patch of dry leaves. It stopped for a moment to take in the surroundings. It either didn’t notice me because I was still, or knew that it was a safe distance away, because it seemed unbothered by my presence. I stood still and watched as it flicked its bushy tail and turned to go deeper into the woods.

As I headed back to the barn, I looked down and saw this old log. It had been on the ground for a few seasons. The bark was gone. The wood itself was showing signs of age and wear. A small crevice was filled with pieces of pine cones. I imagine that an animal of some sort made a feast of them here. Perhaps it was a squirrel like the one I saw, or another creature that took fallen pine cones and turned them into a meal.

These were the remnants that were left behind. They will decompose here in this crook. The moisture will gather and hasten their decay. Once they have, it might become a space for bright green moss to form. I looked around and made a mental note of the location. I want to go back and see how this spot looks as the seasons move on.

I know that it will change because that’s what nature does. It offers what it has and often makes something new and beautiful in the space where something else used to be. Nature is amazing in that way, always evolving.

It was a good reminder for me that I can try to do the same. I can offer what I have and try to make something new and beautiful in the space where something else used to be. It’s not always an easy task, but I’m working on it every day.

This post is part of our A Year of Gratitude Series. You can find the introduction, inspiration, and entire year’s gratitude’s posts here.