Multitudes

The ancient plum tree under the live oaks is more than abundant this year, heavy with fruit hanging low. It is receiving quite a bit more sun now that Mama Oak has departed last August. And the squirrels have been kept to a very low number by the hawks scouting their territory daily. The other day, one of those fierce birds is landing on a low oak branch right in front of me as I come down the stairs. Both of us hold still. So close. Our sacred meeting lasts a while, we eye each other and rest in our co-existence, curious, calm, open. Different worlds are always close to each other, but here we are bound in a field of shared awareness – undefended. This is a possibility. Breathtaking. Feathered and smiling we fly on to our tasks of the day.

This morning – delicate rivulets of feeling running together into the river of life,

into the lake of my being – many different voices meet, interweave,

residing in harmony, co-mingling in balance. Multitudes:

joy, outrage, enthusiasm, disappointment, fear, loss,

grief, gratitude, clarity – the range is dazzling.

All belong, all are heard and accepted,

peaceful co-existence is possible,

the calm is soothing. When I am

aware of all, my inner sphere

expands, me – wide

as the world.

Open

 

Another

really big old Live Oak

is ready to leave. Leaning heavily,

branching its far-reaching arms over into

the neighbor’s property, Uncle Oak is displaying

several new and growing splits in his trunk. Mysteries.

Tracing with my fingertips, I put my ear to the wood with its

deep rifts and canyons. Is he saying: time to go? Nature teaches us.

When we humans listen, we are able to bow in humility: I’ll stay a little while,

when my time comes, I will go, too. Joy prevails… Here is to multitudes, wide as the world.

 

Multitudes    Always   Mingling  

 

With fingers alone, the plums are easily split open, willingly halved to reveal their luscious deep-red firm flesh. Everything is just right about them, color, texture, and taste: well balanced, sweet but not too much, complex like finely matured wine, commented one of my friends. If you would like them to turn into shiny jewels, polish their skin. I have been gifting them to everybody, bags full – abundance! Good for eating as they are, making compote, jam, or baking. I climb up the ladder to get most of the higher riches, but now they are getting to be overripe, so they start decaying, falling, and composting themselves into the soil for plum tree’s next year crop. Come by to Karinaland, and get the last ones!