Space

 It's been glorious autumn weather - leaves turning colour and drifting downwards, morning sun that warms the face and lights the back room golden - such that I have made a habit of taking my coffee out and sitting on the wooden bench outside the kitchen to watch the day break open. 

From the neighbour's garden I can easily see two very tall, majestic trees. Each morning now, it is a little different and today I noticed the branches, close to bare; the birds that have made the trees their home, or their landing spot or mating spot. It has a hypnotic effect on me, and I often find myself spending far more time sitting there than I had meant.

I have had a thing about the word 'space'. When I was guiding meditations, I often found myself using this word, encouraging people to note the space all around them - above them, to either side of them and behind them. The word 'space' has so many meanings. I like to have space to myself in between spending time with others. I like for there to be not too much in a room so there is space to move.

Most of all I like to walk across parkland and look up into the sky and feel the endless space of the sky. Have you ever taken the time to be in awe of the sky above your head, that limitless space that in a way urges you to make space for yourself, to grow and to experience life in all its glory and messiness?

As I sat there this morning, I found the clouds quite glorious. Noting the Earth moving ever so slowly, the clouds moving quietly to one side, I closed my eyes to feel that movement. What a wonder, that we might sit on a seat steadily and yet the world is moving ever so slowly. As are we, moving, never completely still, as the breath demands that we move our bodies in and out in rhythm.

When I opened my eyes, it was as if I was seeing clouds for the first time, and I gasped. They looked just like huge pieces of cotton wool, softly tantalizing awe at the wonder of this planet.  I close my eyes for a moment. Ah, the birds agree.