Sanctification

I walk through Forest**--

Shaded paths lead me River-ward.

Something within follows the

impalpable scent of River cooled Air.

Liquid purl of River rolling over

Rock signals I am near.

My body rests where Land

shakes hands with Water.

'Thank you River,' I say quietly

as running Water settles my Spirit,

softening hard edges of worry

within and moves through me like a blessing.

"Let everything happen to you,

beauty and terror,"* River murmurs,

"No feeling is final." Here at River's

edge every moment is sparkling and new.

* Macy, Joanna. A Wild Love For the World.

** In an effort to support a change in our language to refer to all living beings as such, instead of as 'things', I capitalize the names of all life forms. I am currently teaching young people about the definitions of Nouns, Verbs and Adjectives and no longer use the outdated definition for Noun (person, place, thing or idea). Many do not consider animals and trees, for instance, to be 'things'. Instead, they are living and could be considered proper nouns or we could perhaps include animals and trees in the definition of noun).