Renewal
It’s 6:30 a.m. and I’m awoken to the deep throated “chiru chiru chiru” of a nearby male cardinal. The sun is peeking it’s head up over the Little Pisgah Valley and it’s warm, orange hues glance through the trees, lighting up the newly, unfolded apple, red bud and dogwood blossoms in our yard. I think spring is my favorite season. How can one not look out on all these beautiful colors of lime green, lilac, flush pink and white and not be renewed with gratitude and belief in the creative power of good.
Lately, it seems our world is overflowing with disturbing news of the war in Ukraine, violent storms, drug overdoses, shootings in our children’s schools, and on and on. Yet, this dear cardinal and the newly unfolded leaves and blossoms remind me that good is ever unfolding before our eyes. We sometimes have to look hard for it, but it’s there. Why choose to focus on the bad or look for faults in others, especially in our neighbors? When we choose to turn our gaze and attention to the good all around us, we can’t be absorbed into the murky pit of ill-will, selfishness, and despair. We look all around us and think, “what an amazing place we live in and how wonderful that we can choose to love our neighbors as ourselves, to share this beautiful home with friends and family”. So much to be grateful for.
This Easter, I choose to see my entire neighborhood as a place where we all want to live and appreciate the beauty all around us and be renewed with gratitude and love for one another. If we choose to dwell on the past, we will never appreciate what’s unfolding right in front of eyes and the opportunity to see the good in each other. As the old, decaying leaves drop off one by one, I choose to let every unloving thought drop out of my thinking and replace it with a kind word, a loving act, a thought of gratitude. I encourage us all to be renewed this spring and start anew. I look forward to melding the lines, both physical and mental that have kept us apart. Let’s be an example of unity and harmony and focus on what we share in common rather than dwell on any differences we may have. Again, we all moved here for the beauty and peacefulness this mountain offers as a unique gem in our world. May you all have a lovely Easter with your family and friends.
With love and gratitude,
Sharon Eschenroeder