Finding peace within the breath of summer,
surrounded by the energies of this vital season,
we embark on travels known for millennia, experienced each time anew.
The waves of summer’s ebb and flow
provide serenity and silence
punctuated by bursts of nature’s revelry—
animals defy the night with raucous song, fireflies shine searchlights in the sky—
Figures in a repeating performance
molded by the planet’s pathways through time.
Exploring the natural world has transcended our concerns,
like early stirrings that fill the first light’s quietude
as you notice the heat rising and your heartbeat flutter.
Hiking through the prairie, see the flower petal fireworks aflame with color
through lush green spaces rustling,
stirrings through lakes and ponds whose waves are gently lapping.
We procure these gifts of time
as we meander through this wild lands’ consciousness,
appreciating the simple truth of momentary early summer gatherings,
of penny toads crossing our path, of bright laughing water lilies,
and sand-dollar sized painted turtles—their tapestry-like shells
illuminated in the sunlight.
We share these experiences with our ancestors,
gaining new insights into a journey
we will walk through for many renewed seasons,
accompanied by the wild ones,
creatures and life forms for whom we feel awe
and unending delight.
