What do we think we hear?

what-do-we-think-we-hear

What do you hear when you see water gushing over rocks? I hear a rumble and roar as the lake fills and overflows after rainfall. It gets louder and reverberates as it descends to the open mouth of the underground tunnel – the reservoir’s original draw–off point over a century ago. Yet here’s the thing. … Read more

I am water, where shall I flow?

I-am-water-where-shall-I-flow

I am water,where shall I flow? How often do we see a need and hope that someone else will step in? Someone else will speak up, seeing the issues as clearly as we do. Maybe instead, we could cultivate being water. Flowing to the place where we can make the most difference. Doing what only … Read more

Returning to the same place

returning-to-the-same-place

One of the privileges of living here in the valley is seeing the familiar through the changing lenses of the seasons. I notice the difference between yesterday’s light snow flurry and the crystal clear winter sunlight a few days ago. Yet we are not always returning to a remembered place, but maybe something stirs in … Read more

What shall we call this time

what-shall-we-call-this-time

What shall we call this time,this season whose borderswe have stepped across. Do we know who you are,can we know your name? Whom should we call ourselvesin this space, in this place,friend or foe, lover or unknown… And you, who are you?Why are you hereon this road today? We’ve missed the signpoststhat tell us where … Read more

The gift of perspective

the-gift-of-perspective

Seeing the sunrise as it gathers speed coming down the western side of the valley is a gift in perspective. There is nothing I can do to affect its trajectory or its stunning beauty. And each morning, it reminds me that I am part of something bigger than myself. What shapes your perspective?

The challenge of retracing our steps

the-challenge-of-retracing-our-steps

When we try to retrace our steps, it often isn’t like we remembered. What we started out to do has changed. It has moved from a destination we thought we could describe to a journey we’re enrolled in. From an objective to an action. A becoming rather than a possession. And this changes us.

On being above the line

on-being-above-the-line

The chill of the fog hung in the valley like a cold weight. And walking up to the boy’s fields, higher on the hillside, felt laboured. Until I passed the line where the sun broke through. Slanting across the valley from the other side, it brought everything to life. And me to warmth. Nothing changed, … Read more