Listen!!!

Parusing my usual forums, I noticed a blog asking if anyone ever "listens" to the world anymore, what with forum talking, and book reading for one to get all their information when practicing whatever craft it is they do...does anyone ever listen? And I thought...that's an excellent question and "good point".

I find myself spending less and less time outside. Mostly because of the lack of privacy I have when I go outside. I'm not really a hermit, but whenever I go outside, my neighbor tends to come over and start talking about basically nothing. And I have a nosey neighbor in the back yard; I also hate bugs lol (yes, I'm a sissy, sue me lol).

I also find the sounds of the modern world to be far too distracting for me to be able to get a REAL connection to the natural world. I go to the park and I sit and try to get more connected to nature, and above me, a large cargo plane flies by, neighborhood ATV's speed past and general cars drive by. I also find myself being rather uncomfortable walking in nature, thanks to those who choose to harm unsuspecting people who choose to seek seclusion in nature. I love walking down the path that's about a 10 min walk from my house, however whenever I go down that trail, I find myself spending most of the time looking over my shoulder, expecting some large guy stalking me, to jump out of the bushes. When I'm not looking over my shoulder, I'm always looking for escape routes: There's a house just over the stream...I don't care if I get wet if I can get away from someone who would hurt me. These kinds of thoughts are so distracting, my main purpose for going to these places gets pushed out of the way, so much that I say screw it and end up going home.

Then back to the bugs. When things are a little bit cooler out, that's fine, I can go to the park or trail with no troubles in that area...but when the summer progresses, and the mosquito's and black flies come out, or even the bees, I find I dislike going to more natural areas (at least my trail...comPLETELY overrun by biting bugs). THEN...I find myself thinking...what about spiders? Ooooh I loathe spiders. I see beautiful spaces off the trail I could go to commune with the Goddess, but once a spider dangles down in front of me, or even lands on my shoulder, you better believe communion is off and I'm screaming for the hills lol.

But...that's the problem, isn't it? The excuses we come up with for not going outside. I have a million (just see the above lol). We have to start making MORE time to go outside. Forget the books, forget the forums...go outside and see what nature has to offer. We take nature so much for granted, that one day it's going to be gone, and then what are we going to do?

Now, go get off your butt and go outside...and for Goddess sake LISTEN!!!





Ma’iingan