“You and I are both held up by dead things.”
I said these words out loud with my hand on the boulder in this photograph, which I came across meandering in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains this summer. It may have been my imagination, but I could have sworn that I felt a vibration from the stone acknowledging my presence.
A boulder, in case you are questioning my use of the word, is any rock fragment that is bigger than 10.1 inches in diameter. My new friend was about 3 feet long, 1 foot wide, and 1 foot high. I never would have been able to lift it on my own, but here it was, held aloft by a network of dead roots unearthed when the tree fell.
My body buzzed with a sense of meaning and gratitude for the messages. Whenever I am in nature, I feel an acute sense of connection with my ancestors. Their ongoing support is palpable and reassuring as I make my way along the path.
As I look back on my year, these images are the ones that have maintained and even strengthened their power in my consciousness, even though this encounter was six months ago. I still remember the sense of awe I felt as I circled the boulder and roots, observing from every angle for new perspectives.
From where I stood for the photo above, the boulder looked like a powerful heart connected to the miraculous network of arteries and veins that keep us alive. The heart is also the charging station for empathy, love, compassion and other positive emotions.
Taking a step back, I could see the enormity of the boulder upon which the tree had grown and entwined with over untold years. Now uprooted, the heavy stone (how old must it be?) had been washed clean by mountain rains and snow, blow dried by the wind, and warmed by the sun enough times to be polished and gleaming the day we met. I felt a deep sense of recognition of my own process of unearthing buried heavy objects weighing me down and transforming them into glowing nuggets of wisdom lighting my way forward.
Though these images may not be traditional shares during the holiday season, they truly embody my emotions during this month of reflection:
Gratitude for my deep support system of family and friends — those still here and ancestors who have come before us.
Gratitude for our heart-forward and continually curious Damselwings community.
Gratitude for Nature’s inspiration and never-ending well of wisdom, which becomes ever more illuminated the older I become.
Wishing you joy, gratitude, and a sense of uplifting support through the holidays. You are loved.
