Ceremony - November 2019

     Alone, I traverse the path that meanders between the rivers. The land is narrowing and will soon come to a point. The sun is high in the sky and hot upon my skin. The path leads into the woods, and as the trees close in around me I enter a world of shadow. Light flickers down from above, at the mercy of the leaves’ dance with the wind. The air becomes damp and cool. I sit, still, as my eyes adjust to my surroundings. Otherworld surroundings. Being still, I watch, only my eyes moving. I listen. I tune in to my environment, immediacy, awakening my inner wilderness. Birdsong and the flow of the water, the depth of shadow. Each tree with its own attitude, reaching for the light. Friends, teach me to just be.
 
    With a renewed sense of belonging I move along. The path leads out of the woods into bright sunlight, intrusive, blinding. I pull my hat lower. Soon the river appears on my left, blue with flashes of silver though the water is muddied. The sound of rushing water grows louder and louder until I reach the crescendo where the rivers meet – crashing and roiling, swirling together to continue as One.
 
     These words follow a recent encounter with the Out-of-Doors. I took a little trip to Connected Lakes State Park. The confluence of the Gunnison River Diversion and the Colorado River is on the west side of the Park. I need to get out more. These outings into nature arouse the song of my soul. When I revel in the beauty of nature it reminds me to pay attention. It reminds me to treat every act as a ceremony – that every moment is sacred. It teaches me that, despite life’s travails, it is a blessing to walk this Earthly path as a human being.
 
     A couple weeks ago Elizabeth and I went on an adventure to (almost) Ridgeway. We visited the Dennis Weaver Memorial Park. Elizabeth unloaded my wheelchair from the vehicle and we set off. A few hundred feet down the path is a monumental pile of boulders and an enormous sculpture of an eagle in flight. The path circles around the monument – the four directions are marked and honored. There is a pile of various sized stones (prayer stones) and all are invited to create a cairn. All are invited to partake in ceremony. As I circled the monument I spiraled inward, awakening my inner wilderness. I became grounded in this place, cognizant of my place on this sacred path that I walk as a human being. The ceremony enhanced my experience as we continued down the path along the Uncompahgre River. My senses were heightened. Everything spoke to me. Beauty surrounded me. My soul was singing – how great it is to be a human being! O! The glorious pine tree – with two symmetrical branches growing upward from one trunk, V for victory. The graceful osprey cavorting with sky, circling around us to perch above the river. The school of large fish spied from the bridge over the river. My extraordinary fortune to be on this path with such an exquisite, delightful companion.
 
~ Monte High,  UUCGV Journey to a Green Sanctuary