“The trees, flaunting their colors at the sky, in other times will follow where the leaves have fallen, and so shall we… Lift high our colors to the sky! And give, in our time, fresh glory to the earth.”
It is the time of year for Tree of the Day! For anyone new to this spiritual practice, it is exactly what it sounds like: taking time each day to notice a particularly beautiful tree and bequeathing that tree with the honorific title “Tree of the Day”. Some people accompany this with a little bow of respect or “namaste”, some with a few words of gratitude or a moment of pure present-moment appreciation. Another option is to take a photo and share it with someone who might welcome a bit of beauty in their day.
Wow. Are we lucky and blessed to experience autumn in New England! May we all soak it up while its brilliance lasts around us.
Next week, I will be attending my UU ministers’ study group and thus out of the office Monday through Wednesday. We will be discussing the book How To Be Sick: A Buddhist-Inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and their Caregivers, by Toni Bernhard. Given the impact of long COVID on so many- including one of my colleagues in the study group- it seemed a timely and appropriate topic to dig into. The author writes from her own experience with a sudden and debilitating chronic illness, and I recommend the book for any who face a similar situation, whether or not you’ve been interested in Buddhism before.
On this journey through life, may wisdom from every source- including trees and the Buddha- assist us on our way.
With color-full amazement,
Rev. Lee