We haven't had much rain around here since the last week in May, yet temperatures have been hovering near 100 degrees almost daily for over a month, leaving our surroundings parched and dry. So when some rain finally arrived last night, I was really grateful, even though we only got about ¼ of an inch from all that thunder and lightning.
And then the sun came out this morning, evaporating whatever water had landed and instantly turning the city of San Antonio into Sauna Antonio once again. The moment I walk out the door, the ambient humidity hangs heavy on my skin, like a thick, too-warm blanket, making even small tasks like taking out the trash or walking the dogs seem like it's too much trouble.
GRATEFUL FOR THE BLESSINGS
It's one of those days that make me feel particularly thankful for the blessings of central air conditioning, and for the solar panels on our home, which make the AC more affordable. And yet...I also love being outdoors, and am uncomfortable with the idea of feeling stuck inside my body's reliance on air-conditioned comfort. Humans lived without AC since time out of mind, and as recently as the 1950's, many public buildings and most residences (including my childhood home) were not air-conditioned. How did we come to be so dependent on this now ubiquitous technology in just 50 years time?
SURROUNDED BY REMINDERS
Fortunately, our yard is filled with giant pecan and hackberry trees which make it possible to sit out here comfortably, for even the slightest breeze, combined with the shade, dissipates much of the heat. The thermometer on the side of our house reads 98 degrees, but here in the shade it's quite pleasant. That's a good thing, because I've been drawn outside by the bright sunshine and puffy clouds floating through the sheer vastness of the deep blue sky, providing a much-needed antidote to the hypnotic glare of the various-sized computer screens I've been staring at for hours while working.
And then there are the various songbirds that I can't see, but can clearly hear, calling out to each other from far and near, back and forth, drawing me into their conversations. Meanwhile, a red-tail hawk circles high overhead, seeking its' next meal in the grass below, while cicadas buzz all around, having spent several years underground in their larval state, before emerging for a few brief weeks of loud courtship before dying.
Meanwhile, a slow but steady stream of leaves comes fluttering down out of the trees at random intervals, one at a time, graphic reminders of just how small and transient I am in the big scheme of things. And how soon Autumn will arrive.
GRATEFUL FOR THE LESSONS
Sitting in the office, hemmed in by four walls and the ceaseless procession of e-mails, posts and phone calls crawling across my desktop, it's easy to allow the twin illusions of permanence and self-importance to trick me into imagining that the world revolves around me and my thoughts. But out here, the birds, trees, cicadas and breezes all conspire to demonstrate again and again, that everything and every one is temporary, for "This, too, shall pass." I, for one, am deeply grateful for the reminder -- and am hopeful that you, too, will be able to spend some time outdoors sometime soon.
With joy,
Rudi Harst
THANK YOU for holding the Circle in your heart by visualizing a generous flow of financial abundance. Thank you for supporting us as we continue our work of fostering a creative, inclusive approach to spirituality. We are deeply grateful.
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