COMMUNE with NATURE

    I was cleaning out some papers and as usual I re-saved more than I threw away. I found the notes for this blog so I updated it a little and decided to post it. I imagine at least a few people out there in cyber- space think at least a little like I do.

   My first thought was obvious to me. That is, what does it mean to commune. Then next you might ask with whom do we commune and what about?

   In my limited vocabulary, to commune is to talk with people, but not just a conversation but a deep or sincere conversation. But on second thought does it have to be people? If we let our imagination go a little can we commune with animals, or things, or even something as steadfast as a beautiful forest scene? After thinking about it a little, it is my opinion we could commune with all of these ----or perhaps communing with some of these things might be considered talking to yourself?  However it might be OK just to talk to yourself and you might get some honest answers?

   The next question might be, to whom do you talk and what do you talk about during these quiet precious times.

   There are so many subjects and so many paths and trails to follow that there may not be an answer. I will give my opinion and you can have yours? We can commune with people in many places but I think it should be a strong emotional time, however with kind feelings and most of the time not just “talking to yourself.”

I believe most people commune with their pets if they have them. Especially people with dogs seem to develop a way to commune. They instinctively know when to run, when to walk, when to stop, when to lay down for a belly rub, or stop along the way to smell each tree, stump or light pole.

   My wife was not a dog lover, but whenever she set at her craft table or quilting frames our old Dalmatian knew he was welcome to come and lay on her feet and warm them up. He did not bark and she did not talk to him but they did somehow commune with each other, that it was OK to lay on her feet, but only if she was crafting or quilting, any other time was not acceptable and he knew it!

   One of my favorite memories was to be either alone or with one or two other people in a forest setting. It was never a feeling of “bad loneliness” it was more of a feeling of complete relaxation, with no one to talk to, and no one to answer to. During those times it seemed like my mind would bounce from one subject to the other and then on to another. Perhaps I was communing with my mind? I did not have to sort them into subjects in my mind. Perhaps I might like to recall one or two later, if they were GOOD thoughts but I doubt it?

   All of these thoughts seemed to have brought me back to my original subject which was “can you commune with nature?” Can you commune with nature, or does it have to be another person? I think My Opinion is obvious because of what I have written above!

   I recall one time we were at our mountain cabin for a week and I was sitting on the front deck looking through a pair of binoculars and my wife came out and sat by me. She was kind of smiling and asked “ well can you see it?” When I did not answer she said, “Well what are you looking for?” I answered that I did not know, but when I found it I would let her know.”

   I guess she was trying to commune with me, and I was trying to commune with nature but we we were neither doing a very good job.

   Do you suppose that communing means the same thing to all people? I don’t think so but of course that is just MY opinion. Do all people read the same books, go to the same movies, play the same games. Of course not! It would be a boring old world if that was the case. Does anyone besides me argue with yourself? And is that communing?

    Well this subject did not become a “blog” easily. I started it sometime ago when I was communing with myself as to the benefits of having an afternoon nap or not! Now if I was in the mountains, just taking in the scenery, there would be no question. I for sure would take an afternoon nap or meditate for a while.—Meditate Now there is a good word for a blog—perhaps later on.

WRB 3 July 2018