Talking With The Earth

The route of my morning walk. To my far left is the Santa Cruz River, at this point in its journey, a singing, bubbling waterway lined by tall shade trees. Then to my immediate left, between me and the river, is the wonderful bike/walking loop that circles the entire city of Tucson. It has been very recently resurfaced and stripped so that it is even more appealing than it was in its original state. Cyclists whiz by and walkers stroll along. It is a great way to start the morning. But as lovely as those two features are, I am drawn to the dirt trail in the photo. I find it refreshing and more in keeping with my desire to experience the subtle relatedness of human and earth. I think it’s the crunch of the gravel. Planting my foot on the earth seems more satisfying than walking on asphalt. Try it sometime. Listen to the earth speak. You might even consider taking your boots off and walking barefoot through green grass in a nearby park. Of that I can only dream. Green grass in the Sonoran Desert is a contradiction in terms. And even if I found some, it would be a short walk.

Thanks be to God for the earth that sustains us, provides us joy, and talks to us in each step of a wonderful walk.