I Need

I need to belong.

To press my palm

against the thick bark

of Douglas fir

to understand the texture

of protection

and resilience.

This mother tree knows me,

and I am humbled

by the painful longing

rising from my chest

to be included,

worthy

of this sacred acceptance.

I need to meander.

Along paths

wafting loamy

and vibrant,

to let my soul sigh

into the green of ferns,

that particular green

that exhales

the balance

of a joyful community.

Here there is no doing.

Only be-ing.

I need to let myself slow.

To witness

the shimmering spiderweb linens

pulsating gently

to forest breath,

to yield to

the mightiness

of delicate mushrooms,

to pay homage

to the champions of the mycelium,

that sacred and vital network,

embracing symbiosis

as a sentient camaraderie.

I need to silence my thoughts.

To really hear

the passionate chittering

of creatures

simply crittering,

the creaking groans

of wind-downed trunks

held up by their neighbors,

to marvel

at the true masters

of wholly being present

in the now.

I need to discover.

Sun rays

warming mounds of forest floor,

the spectral shimmer of Gaia

rising as steam.

The sweet earthy breath of moss,

the quiet burn of nettle.

To accept

that life is simply magical

and so much more

than my human capacity

can hold.

I need to harmonize.

With raven chortle

and eagle song,

leaves rustling,

the gentle lapping

of the Salish Sea

to rekindle the origins

of my wild self.

I need to be mentored to joy.

By sweet playful breezes

and ever-shifting dappling,

to be entranced

by the dancing canopy above,

and inspired

by the enveloping aliveness.

I need to feel.

Happiness, wonder, peace,

surprise, gratitude, hope,

relief, tenderness, reverence.

To remember
to live.
Oh yes …
I need to live.