SUNNYSIDE UP MOMENT - APRIL 26, 2020

DAY FORTY-ONE OF THE CORONAVIRUS QUARANTINE FOR US AT STACK 'EM HIGH PANCAKES AND SO FORTH

Early mornings in August at our place are a sensory rich experience.  The kitchen is filled with the aroma of sizzling sausage, baking biscuits and sweet tea.  The front of the house has a rambunctious energy fueled by the chatter of diners, static laced Dave Matthews Band and coffee cups being hustled to the line.  One Friday morning in August many years ago, the scene was disrupted by a loud explosion coupled with an intense pulse of energy.  After an exaggerated beat, the lights went out, the ubiquitous hum of commercial appliances ceased, and a pin could be heard tumbling to the ground. 

Dominion Power quickly confirmed that the transformer at the corner of our property had blown, but “luckily” only a small segment of the neighborhood was affected.  They were confident power would be restored by early afternoon.  Terrific!  That time frame spanned our entire shift.  On a Friday.  In August.  My next call was to my husband who somehow had managed to schedule himself off (That part of the story is currently under review).  As the staff worked to close down the restaurant, I worked to calm down my furious and frustrated partner.  Thankfully, he said he would call me back, he needed to go for a walk.

I love to hear him retell this part.  He stormed outside and just as he stomped his foot on the ground, he was accosted mid-step.  He remembers a tiny, blurred image whizzing from the corner of his eye to directly in front of his face.  He said it was like being plucked out of real time as a hummingbird paused inches from the tip of his nose.  Suspended in a momentary lapse of reason, he was eye to eye with the dazzling, enchanted creature. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished, taking his breath with it.

John Muir said, “In every walk with nature one receives far more than one seeks.”  Nick didn’t walk out into the yard because he wanted to live deliberately.  He walked into the yard to blow off some steam, and Mother Nature answered a prayer he hadn’t even uttered.  Especially during times of anxiety, we should seek Her shelter, Her counsel and Her warm embrace. Whether you are missing your place of worship this Sunday morning or missing your pre-pandemic routines, remember there are alters all over the natural world eager to free you of your burdens.  Communion with the divine happens everywhere from under the trees to the edge of the sea.  The only sacrifice She requires is a portion of your time.  And in return, the sacrament of Her healing will bless you in ways that passeth understanding.