May is the time when a lot of us begin thinking about where we’d like to go on our summer vacation. We’d like to invite you to experience wherever you go in a new way.
Recently, Terri and I visited my mom and stepdad in southern Florida. Since Terri had never been to the Everglades, my brother-in-law, who is an Everglades tour guide, suggested we drive through a wonderful, wild swamp area he had recently discovered. He told us where some of the “good spots” were, as well as how to know where to stop and look for wildlife along the way.
We began our drive down a long dirt road midway between Naples and Miami off the Tamiami Trail. We were quickly surrounded by cypress swamp, and had our first alligator sighting within 10 minutes of starting. This rather large fellow was sunning himself on a log in the midst of a large, water filled area surrounded by cypress trees decorated with some of the largest blooming air ferns I’d ever seen. After doing the typical tourist thing – “wow what a big gator let me take his picture!” – I then put the camera down and just stood there experiencing the place. I asked for an understanding of what this place and the wildlife here had to teach me. I expressed thanks to the place and all the beings there for allowing me to share with them.
The most amazing thing happened. I began to feel the swamp… to experience the very ancient energy and spirituality of a place that has existed in the exact same way for thousands of years. The animals and plants, the water and stones, carried me through time to the ancient Earth, allowing me to experience her as she was at the time when reptiles ruled. It was almost as if the alligator and cypress trees were my tour guides in this experience. I was totally immersed in this, the road and the van we were driving fading away in the silence and peace.
This experience repeated itself over and over again as we stopped many times along the 20 mile stretch of road. We did meet a huge Matriarch alligator who allowed us to just simply experience her in all her magnificence for many minutes. She was totally confident in her position, knowing that we would not disturb her. Again, she allowed us to experience her life and her world, rather than just observe it. The younger alligators we met along the way were far more willing to interact with us, swimming close to the side of the road to look at us. The older, larger alligators were content just to be, and allow us to honor them in their magnificence. At one point we wondered why we weren’t seeing any birds. At that moment, we heard “well look UP!” and, sure enough, a bird was flying overhead!
When we emerged into civilization again, we stopped at the Everglades Visitor Center, home to several alligators in a large, fenced off canal in front of the building. These gators were very different from those we had experienced in the swamp – many of these animals were teachers, allowing humans to see them up close without fear. They did not appear to be confined in any way to the canal area – the humans were fenced away from them, but the alligators appeared to be free to come and go. We thanked them for being teachers for us all.
We invite you to experience wherever you go this summer in a similar way. Get a sense of the area you are visiting, become very aware of the animals and plants around you, and invite them to teach you, to allow you to experience where you are from their perspective. You may be surprised at what you learn.
As always, if you are leaving your pets at home while you are away, be sure to explain to them how many “darks” you will be gone, and who will be staying with them (or where they are going to stay) while you are away. Be sure you do this when the suitcases come out, not as you’re walking out the door.
Enjoy your summer!
