The Call of the Loon
Peace is a way of being. It is a practice but also a gift.
Dear Soul Friends,
I recently returned from a vacation with my family on Squam Lake in New Hampshire. I started vacationing on Squam when I was eight and have returned almost every summer of my life. After the recent passing of my mother and my mother in law, I was surprised to discover that this year’s visit was particularly peaceful. It was a reflective time as I rested and pondered the reality that I am the grandmother now. What do I want to leave behind when I die? What gift do I have to leave my family and our world? How do I want to live out the rest of my life?
Shalom, salaam, peace. I would like to be a gentle soul centered in peace.
Peace is a way of being. It is a practice but also a gift. I wish I could say that I am always peaceful. I am not. But I am some of the time and I relish those hours in the day. Each morning when I am at Squam, I rise early so I can soak in the morning quiet before my family wakes up. I love to take my cup of coffee down to the lake to sit on the dock and watch the sunrise. This year it was very chilly in the early morning. I often took a blanket with me and bundled up in my winter jacket. On some days, mist was rising off the shimmering water. On other days the water was so still that the clouds and sun were reflected on it reminding me that at times my outer journey is mirrored by my inner journey. When that happens my soul sings. The harmony is magical.
Best of all, there was a family of loons nesting in the cove. Each morning the quiet was broken by their haunting calls reminding me of eternity. They are ancient birds. Prehistoric. Their call pulls at my heartstrings drawing me back to nature, back to a time without internet or twenty-four hour news stories. The call of the loon echoes my soul’s desire for peace.
“Be still, Susan. Listen. Savor. Rest,” soul says. “Try to carry this stillness, this peace into your day.”
I cherish the invitation to stillness and inner peace. That is what these letters are about. Learning to listen to the stories of our lives and honoring the treasures of wisdom that have been given to us. I look forward to journeying with you.
Deep peace to you,
Susan