Buongiorno, Great Creator!
Another sunny day, and I’m already forgetting the overcast skies from earlier in the week and the negative teens wind chill of last weekend. Aren’t there bright blue skies and sunshine every morning to greet me?
I mentioned a shift yesterday, that it felt different looking at the bright morning. Perhaps, very probably, that shift happened simply within me, as my thinking moved in a new direction.
What do I mean? Well, as I sit here today, I’m thinking about it already being the middle of February. In just two months, we’ll be into April. And, I’m starting to imagine spring, with buds and blossoms, green shoots emerging everywhere.
Now, this will be my first spring up here in New Hampshire; so, I’m not quite sure of the usual timeline. Then again, my first New Hampshire winter has hardly been textbook.
But, it’s worth recognizing this shift in me – two months ago, I was rooting for snow; in the past month I’ve been out snowshoeing and ice skating, and still rooting for more snow. Suddenly, I’m looking forward to green grass and hikes through bright green forests, and hopefully the opportunity to play some golf.
I think this is, in a large part, tied to my relationship to my environment and the outdoors. There are all these inter-related feedback mechanisms in nature – the changing light and temperatures in the fall trigger the colorful autumn foliage, squirrels gathering food stores, and animals growing their heavier winter coats. Birds and butterflies migrate south.
Likewise, certain environmental conditions need to be met to trigger the spring growth, the buds and shoots emerging, hibernation cycles ending; even nest-building, fertilization, and the laying of eggs.
So, why would I not be affected in a similar fashion? I love the idea that the increased sunlight in the day, and more direct angle of the sun, re-triggers my passion for spring; has me looking forward to rounds of golf, song birds on my walks, and new green buds everywhere.
This is a seeming contradiction that I have found it useful to accept – Looking Forward to My Future, while accepting and appreciating What Is.
I believe this is obtained, and maintained, by practicing flexibility and patience, and exercising my ability to shift my perspective between mouse view and eagle view.
To me, it also translates to the metaphor of the journey – awareness and attention to the destination; while, at the same time, present to manage the reality of the trail right here-and-now, and correcting course when needed.
I don’t think I’ve written about mouse view and eagle view here before. And, right now, I’m caught in the lovely comparison of my hike along the AT. So, if you’ll indulge me –
Mouse view is ground level; the perspective of immediate surroundings and intimate, perceived needs and reality. On the trail, my mouse view would tune into how hungry or thirsty I was, how my feet were feeling, how challenging this section or slope was, or how tired I was; but also the joys of great views and great weather, the pleasure cruising along level, shady stretches of trail, the glory of the night sky and the Milky Way. So many little joys and challenges.
Mouse view also tracked my mileage, and how far to the next water source, the night’s shelter, or the next trail town. Mouse view would remind me not to dawdle, that there was work to do, and, to quote Frost, “miles to go before I sleep.”
Eagle view is from high above, seeing down and all around, looking toward the horizon and the desired destination mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. My eagle view kept alive my spiritual goals, fueling my heart, my legs, and my lungs; when my body was tired, and the miles felt like a grim duty. My eagle reminded me that I wanted this test, of my physical and mental endurance and strength; this adventure, truly different from anything else I had ever done; this time and space, to explore who I was and who I could be, and to discover what mattered to me and what I was capable of doing, of being.
We all have access to the perspectives of our mouse and our eagle. In some ways, they are related to the General and the Wild Child. We are all these ideas and thoughts, at the same time. And, we can let them compete and work against each other; or, we can derive ways they complement each other, creatively unifying their strengths to continue toward developing our best self.
Need a helping partner to understand these different perspectives and how to best integrate them? Let’s work on it together!
Thanks for the continued Blessings and Gifts from You All, My Spirit Guides!
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