We go to the woods (life around here lately)

“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery – air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, ‘this is what it is to be happy'” Sylvia Plath

I grew up going into the woods nearly every day.

I’ve always been in love with trees. I love the hushed air and the changing leaves. I love feeling so small yet so connected. Being so immersed in the natural world as a kid influenced everything, from how I find happiness to what I like to paint. I might not get out into the woods as regularly these days, but there’s still so much texture, color, and shape to be discovered out there in our daily lives:

♥ ♥ ♥

My sister got married recently and they included a poem by one of my favorite poets in the ceremony. I want to share the poem with you, as it speaks so much to what I feel:

How I go to the woods

Ordinarily, I go to the woods alone, not with a single
friend, for they are all smilers and talkers and therefore
unsuitable.

I don’t really want to be witnessed talking to the catbirds
or hugging the old black oak tree. I have my
way of praying, as you no doubt have yours.

Besides, when I am alone I can become invisible. I can sit
on the top of a dune as motionless as an uprise of weeds,
until the foxes run by unconcerned. I can hear the almost
unhearable sound of the roses singing.

If you have ever gone to the woods with me, I must love
you very much.

– Mary Oliver

What sticks with me about this poem is the idea that sharing the most sacred experiences of our lives with others is an act of pure love. I’ve felt this as I build my business, sharing my art and dreams and fears, and I’ve also felt this as a mom, navigating through the excitement and worry of raising a little human.

Parenthood has been especially challenging lately and I’ve had to pull on all of my reserves of strength and patience. And then I capture quiet moments like this and my perspective shifts yet again:

I watched Isaac have his own quiet moment in the woods, and love crowded out everything else. Watching him experience the world on his own terms like this helped me to remember that we don’t have to have all of the answers as parents or business owners (etc.), we just have to keep showing up to learn and try again.

And so I keep showing up.

And during the weeks when being a mama means I don’t get to create new art, we go to the woods. We look for texture and color and shape.