The Mountain Calls

It is a beautiful sunny morning here in the Northwest, and Mt. Rainier is out in all her glory.  After a long rainy winter and spring, the sun is a true gift.  My mind begins to think about hiking and returning to my sacred playground, Mt. Rainier.  I am fortunate to live close enough to drive up for day hikes on her beautiful slopes.  Nature is my church, I know I am connected to all that is when in the beauty of nature.  To commemorate Earth Day and nature’s beauty I share a poem I wrote after a wonderful hike to one of her many alpine lakes. A portion of this poem is highlighted in my new memoir Listening to My Life in the chapter titled “The Healing Power of Nature.”  My book will be launched the first part of June.

The Mountain Calls

My heart is closing,
busyness takes over the day,
the week…..the month.
My body yearns for peace,
quiet…..renewal.

The mountain calls.

Leaving the busyness behind,
hiking boots in hand,
I return home
to the rich landscape of the mountain.

Entering the trailhead my breath deepens.
My body moves with each breath
freeing the tightly held constraints.
The rhythm of breath….step….silence takes hold.
Head chatter stops and
I become one with the trail.

Aware only of the wind
caressing my body,
the sun washing over me,
cleansing my soul.
Birds singing their melody,
touching my heart.

My eyes open.
I see the expansive world we live in.
Snow covered peaks,
multitudes of greens covering the land.
Wildflowers…..vivd magenta, bright blues, reds,
yellows, purples, dot the velvet green.

The sound of water cascades down a rock front,
rippling through a stream.
I stop…..I listen.
Is there anything more beautiful than the sound of water?
Flowing…..ever changing, pulsing with life.

The Mountain Calls.

My ears hear the squeak of the pica,
the high whistle of the marmot,
clear…..loud
announcing their presence to the world.

The hike continues,
a body rhythm develops with the earth.
I no longer walk on the earth,
I walk with the earth.
My heart and soul open with each step,
troubles, worries, doubts, fears…..wash away.

At trail’s end, a deep turquoise alpine lake shimmers in the sun,
nestled in trees. Wind gently creates ripples circling outward.
So easy to lose myself
in the beauty…..the serenity of this lake.

Silence the only sound.
Trees reflect on the surface,
the turquoise shifts colors,
shades of deep blue, pockets of blue green.

God, reflected in all that my eyes behold.
My heart and soul expand, absorbing the vastness,
becoming vast.
The sense of separateness is gone.
I return to my world renewed…..whole.

When the mountain calls,
I listen.

May we all cherish and protect Mother Earth everyday.