Waiting by the Stream

I had to make a quick trip out to Hawkscry to turn off the water system owing to the cold weather on the way. Temperatures are predicted to drop into the mid 20's, enough to freeze the line which then takes many days to thaw, not to speak of the line damage possible with a freeze. Using gravity feed water from a stream sure makes you aware that it is a precious resource and does not just magically appear from nowhere as is the impression one could get using city water.

Part of the process involves slightly opening the valve at the lowest point in the system, which is actually laying in the stream bed. This permits the water to drain from the pipe in a measured fashion, and the flow should keep the line from feeezing, though this will eventually empty the upper reservoir of 350 gallons. Not to worry, the main reservoir has 1500 gallons and is full, enough to last through the winter even without replenishment, as we are not up there that often in the cold months.

This gave me an opportunity to sit quietly on a rock in the stream bed and observe my surroundings, now laid somewhat bare by the winter. I like to think that I can see the bones of the land at this time. Stripped of its verdant coat of leaves, the earth looks hard and resolute. There is a no nonsense, raw feel to it and I am not that comfortable with it to be honest. I see all the chaos of a living mountain, and my inclination is to try to do something about that, put some order into it all, clean up and hide the debris of death. The sheer magnitude of that effort brings me back to reality, and I just sit. I wait for something to arrive, a fresh idea maybe, some little glint of insight that might lighten the load a bit. And usually, if I am patient enough and stick around through the desire to flee, something always comes, though it is not always remembered or easily articulated. Sometimes it is just grace that descends and brushes across me like a faint whisper leaving a feeling akin to contentment.

Today what came was this. Being filled with judgement is quite a hindrance to finding peace. It is not so much that this or that is good or bad in your life, it is just that some things simply get in the way of progress, especially progress toward uncovering your true nature, which is devine. Judgement makes you feel isolated. Even if you are smug and isolated, it is not helpful. It is better to clear the way of this clutter, this constant judgement that makes you feel other. If we are all of the same devine source, than we all participae in some way. We can not really stand aside and point our judgemental fingers . We must see what role we play in whatever we are judging. Then we can allow compassion and understanding to settle into our thinking and guide our actions.