April Mama Message
“And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet
and the winds long to play with your hair."
- Khalil Gibran, The Prophet
It’s finally springtime here in Montana and the snow is almost all melted. The hills are tinged with green, the aspen branches are downy, and the chokecherries are blooming. The first crocus flowers are popping up and the wildlife is stirring. Exploring the canyon daily is joyful, and it is amazing to see the changes appear…sometimes by the hour. There is a pair of sandhill cranes nesting in our valley delighting us with their mating calls, dances, and majestic presence. They are beautiful birds that have been unchanged for thousands of years, and they are thought to be harbingers of happiness, good fortune, and long life in many cultures.
Wanting to learn more about the sandhill cranes, I discovered that they are the oldest known bird species in existence, they mate for life, and as a spirit animal they also represent the keeping of our own counsel, the protection of family, and balance in life above all else. How fitting… as I am being challenged to find new rhythms and find a different sense of balance in life here in the Rocky Mountains with my family!
I have made a choice to spend more time with family, and I am committed to spending much more time in nature as well. Even though the weather has been colder, I am inspired to walk daily and soak up all that this area has to offer. My grandsons want to be outside as much as possible, and are constantly calling my attention to the beautiful, small, often overlooked phenomenon of mountain springtime. Just walking in a rivulet or splashing though a puddle can take up half the morning. I am reminded to slow down, pay attention, and breathe!
Nature is our guide and our healer, and helps us understand what is truly important in our world. Our children know this instinctively, and they invite us to stay focused on what is most healthful. Like the sandhill cranes they remind us to let go of that which does not serve us, and to embrace family and healthy balance. Watching these beautiful birds is inspiring and riveting, and I feel blessed to have this precious time together with my grandsons as they discover the natural world around them. I am filled with gratitude daily!
The powerful maternal bond seems to be strongest in the spring as new life is coming forth. Whether in the plant or animal communities, we see signs of this everywhere. In honor of the mother/child bond and of Earth Day, I am drawn to the essential oil Myrrh for its healing qualities of attachment. Myrrh is the oil of the Mother Earth, and helps reestablish and strengthen the relationship between mother and child, and with the earth. Rich, pungent, and complex aromatically, it is best applied over the heart, chest, or on the bottoms of feet, or inhaled deeply.
Wishing you the happiness, good fortune, and long lived energy of the sandhill cranes this Earth Day!
Photo Credit: Christine Pentecost, Bridger Mountain Photo