AWARENESS (Read & Reflect #27)

a wakeup call during my afternoon walk

I set out on the path in solitude- a rarity when you have 3 dogs.

However, they needed a nap and I needed greenery. Two bouncing chipmunks sprinted inches from my feet and dove into the dark green foliage.  I was less than 50 feet into Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary, yet the power shift was palatable. Here the humans are guests. 

The paths looked different from how I remembered. Mass Audubon went to great lengths to restore the cranberry bog and surrounding land to its natural state. 

The cool June day and an open calendar afforded me the luxury of stopping to soak in the various landscapes. I marveled at the growth since I last visited and wondered what it would look like once the plantings were fully mature.

Somewhere along the Madar Path, I had a startling thought.

It wasn’t snakes or a red bull's eye left from a tick bite that demanded my attention. Instead, I realized I was surrounded by native plants and species, yet I could only identify the dandelion, chipmunk, blue jay, and painted turtle. I was 3 minutes from home. I shared air with these things my whole life but knew almost none intimately or by name.  

Determined to prove myself wrong, I continued my walk. I couldn’t name the small blue flowers or the infant trees planted along the path. I didn’t expect myself to know the Latin names of the greenery that surrounds me at any given moment, but I did expect myself to know more. I wasn’t in a foreign country. 

As I plodded along the boardwalk, the thoughts continued.

How did I know all about someone I’ve never met, but scrolled past on TikTok, but not these plants? How could it be possible that I knew so little about the things right in front of me? Then it dawned on me, not only do so many of us not know about our local landscapes and wildlife–we are also alarmingly disconnected from our inner landscapes. 

We don’t know how to tend to our aching hearts, or how to feel joy in our bodies–all of which are directly in our spheres of influence and control. What good is knowing the intimate details of the latest news headline, if you aren’t able to lower your anxiety enough to advocate for the changes you crave? 

Just in the same way, I’ll never know every phylum, genus, and species in that wildlife sanctuary– I’ll never fully know my inner world. However, I’m committed to learning more about what’s directly in front of me. Why? Because I believe that by doing so I’ll ultimately be able to contribute to the world in a more meaningful way. 

It’s easier to start than you think. 

The blue flower: common blue violet.  

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1. In what ways are you disconnected from your inner landscape? Are there practices or activities that can help you reconnect with your emotions, tend to your well-being, and find joy within yourself?

2. Reflect on the concept of knowing what's directly in front of you and its impact on your ability to contribute meaningfully to the world. How can you apply this idea to your own life and make a difference in your immediate surroundings?

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