Every morning, I meditate, wrapped up in a beautiful quilt made by my dear friend Tina, and my little dog, Ginny likes it too. My quilt combines a variety of fabrics in lavender and white, stitched together in geometric patterns.
Many of us are drawn to patterns, seeing separate pieces come together to form a larger whole. My friend Judy brings floral arrangements from her rose garden to her favorite coffee shop. Some of my friends enjoy assembling jigsaw puzzles. Others like working with wood. I enjoy stitching needlepoint tapestries, seeing the colorful yarns blend together in intricate patterns.
There are many patterns in the world around us. In my travels, I've met people with different personalities, backgrounds, talents, strengths, languages, cultures, and beliefs, seeing us all as vital parts of the larger human community. Yet these days, many of us feel threatened by our differences, reacting in fear, unaware of the larger patterns that connect us all.
The wisdom of nature shows us that beyond our fears, beyond all the reactive polarization, is the intrinsic oneness that connects us. The trees in my neighborhood breathe in what we breathe out, in an ongoing exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide that sustains all our lives.
This week, look around you, taking time to notice nature's patterns—the shifting clouds overhead, mountains and valleys, green hills and deep blue sky. Look for the different colors and patterns in your neighborhood—the tall oak tree in your neighbor's yard, summer roses in bloom, neighbors of all ages and stages in life. Listen for the daily symphony of sounds, the whispering of the wind, the songs of birds, even a neighbor's dog barking in the distance.
Then pause to recall a time when you felt part of the larger pattern of life. Was it seeing the beauty of a summer sunset, looking up at the branches of a tall tree, walking in the woods, seeing squirrels scamper through the trees, birds flying overhead, or new seedlings emerge from the ground, connecting with someone you know, or something else?
Focus on that experience, breathing into your heart, and for the next few moments, pause to appreciate that experience, realizing how you are part of the essential oneness of life.