This morning, my sister-in-law broke an unspoken rule. She brought up politics. At first I said that I would refrain from commenting. But then the emotion that had been bottled up inside sought release and I stated four facts that I thought anyone with a heart and mind would understand. Sadly, no. They were entrenched in their view and espoused their man in spite of facts that they even agreed with! My blood pressure rose. When facts don’t even work, what can you do? I was just so sad that excuses kept being made for someone I consider to be without morals, character, or compassion.
I hate conflict. Both inner and outer. So when I saw that this was not going to go anywhere good, I said, “I love you both. I’m going to go take a walk.” And then I took a very, very long walk.
I walked to the end of a long trail and then I sat on a log. I tried to breathe, to meditate. But arguments kept popping up in my head. I couldn’t seem to let it go. Then, realizing that this inner state was not good for me, I prayed that I come back to peace.
I found myself looking at the blanket of slightly wet fallen leaves in front of me. I began to see a mandala of sorts in my mind’s eye. I started picking up oak leaves and laying them in a circular pattern. I found some sticks to create a pattern in the middle. I eventually added another circle of leaves in order to further define the perimeter of the circle. This act of creativity calmed me.
I began to remember that peace was perhaps more important than winning any argument. And I found myself remembering the good things about my brother and sister-in-law. They love their children and grandchildren so much. They spend a lot of time with them and support them in countless ways. They are both incredibly hard working. Whether it’s doing work for pay or chopping wood or cooking or canning or cleaning, both of them work for 12 or more hours most days. I respect the way they steward the land on which they live. I respect that my brother has been putting 5-gallon buckets beneath the faucets and in the showers to catch water during this time of drought. I respect that my sister-in-law is dedicated to the healing path, preparing and eating highly nutritious, high quality food, and devoting herself to learning about homeopathy. And, in spite of our differences, they graciously allow me to visit for extended periods in their home.
After this shift in perception, I returned to my mandala, my nature altar, and I sang and I prayed and I gave thanks. I am grateful to the beautiful Beings in my life. I asked that I be a blessing and that I remember the love.
As I walked back, with my mind more at peace, I was able to gaze at the beauty of the world around me. I took in the tall trees and the flowing creek, the shining sun and fresh air. Politics is so ungrounding. In contrast, Earth is great medicine, as is creativity. Peace is so much more pleasant than conflict.
About ten minutes from home, my eyes caught a heart stone on the path. A minute later I saw another one. This was confirmation. LOVE is the most important thing.
