for, to, with, of, trees

I went to California over Christmas. After landing in San Francisco, I rented a car to get me to Big Basin National Park. I hiked in the old growth forest of Big Basin for two days, among the redwoods and sequoias, and then drove further down the coast to Big Sur. Big Sur is the edge of the world, where sun meets sky meets water meets cliffs meets forest. These are two of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been, and the whole experience was spectacular.
In The Power of Myth, Joseph Campbell writes, “People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances with our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive.”
This quote, along with a poem by Mary Oliver, expresses in words the feeling I had when I was there.

I hope your 2016 is full of the experience of being alive, whatever that looks like  - be it a solo walk in the woods or the loudest craziest dance club at 3am - live it up, beauties :)

When I Am Among the Trees
by Mary Oliver

When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches

And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”