The beauty of pausing to take in life's wonder

When was the last time you were given a life-changing gift from nature? Or, maybe, just a curious one? Too long? Well, the good news is that this is the perfect time to venture out and explore the wilderness of the ever-changing natural world.

My husband and I recently celebrated our 41^st wedding anniversary – I can't even believe that number myself! And we did so with a trip to Shenandoah National Park – a treasure so close and yet we had never been.

Hiking, sometimes laboriously, up the mountain trails, is beautiful, challenging and thought-provoking. For here, in the silence of nature's systems, the voice of transformation echoes unceasingly throughout the valleys and mountain sides. Here, in the wilderness of creation, the patterns that connect all of life are on stunning display. Birth, life, death and resurrection all exist simultaneously and in harmony with each other.

Here we see that new birth and the finality of death are necessary companions of each other, different sides of the same coin, branches that intertwine and balance each other. One cannot exist without the other and, through the dying, as the forest and its creatures let go, the seeds for new growth are allowed to rise up and emerge. Lessons learned, faith deepened, connections removed and restored. It is a sacred shedding.

On the mountain side, the greenery gives up to the brilliant colors of autumn, the crashing boulders are worn and transform into rocky pathways to be climbed, the old growth produces the new. Each part of nature surrenders unto itself and to the new blossoms that arise.

These cycles in forests seem to happen, well, naturally, as part of a continuum. And yet, in the human realm, outside of the forest walls, these changes require choice: the choice to let go, the choice to surrender, the choice to grow and develop. Somehow, we have become separated from this continuum, sadly.

The constant flow of loss and renewal can be seen throughout our lives and in the greater world if we pause, look and pay attention. If we rise above our Fear Of Missing Out.

On the mountain, this normal flow is clearly evident, the intricate pattern of life is repeated daily in every living cell. We humans can learn from these natural systems in the same way that we learn from the scriptures in the Holy Books – in order to grow, we must be willing to let go of the smaller, inconsequential things so that the larger things can emerge, leading to our transformation. Whether you feel the call to resurrection or to enlightenment, neither is possible without the release of the old.

So, give yourself the gift of growth through giving, the letting go of habits that, while comfortable, may not be serving you well. Get outside! Climb the mountain! There is so much life waiting for the new you!

The Reverend Dr. Deborah Darlington serves all people of all traditions with sacred ceremonies and rites of passage. She can be reached at GraceMatters@TheSpaceForGrace.com