Months ago I was sitting by the fire on a chilly night in the mountains. We had just finished watching the sun set and I turned my attention downward, looking deep into the lake. There was the crackle of the golden fire, the fish jumping in the water, the coyotes howling in the mountains, the paws and hooves of the bears and wild horses in the woods surrounding us. All the creatures moving, speaking, breathing, eating, living under the brilliant, starry sky. Everything was so alive. Each and every day, the lake reflects the stars, reverberates the coyote's howls, plays with the fish, and nourishes the bears and wild horses. It tells the stories of all the beings, the story with no ending. So I closed my eyes and listened to what the lake had to say. And in those moments I learned a few things about the lake itself. It is expansive, like a mother with her arms wide open to the children. It is unconditional in feeding the creatures, the rivers, and continuously softening the earth around it. And even with all of the life teeming within and outside of it, the lake is remarkably still, gentle, and forgiving. I yearn to be like the lake, the great listener in the heart of the valley.
On Feb 20, 2012 Manisha wrote :