Walking, Observation, Searching... and a Full Moon

I find books to read from many different sources...kind of fun really. Like a hunt. I can access my library from home and order anything I want, from any library...books, music, and films. Here, in Rhode Island, all of the local libraries are connected which makes inter-library loan available. I also now have access to the college library system which also is connected to other college libraries in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and beyond if need be. Amazing... I can find almost anything I want or need and do.

So how do I find what to look for, titles, topics...? It helps that I have an insatiable curiosity...always wanting to know more about something. I read little fiction, hard to find something that holds my interest all the way through. I am more of a nonfiction type of gal. I just finished Devotion by Dani Shapiro. A personal account of of what Jung calls her "afternoon of life" in the search for what she believes in, if anything. I found it via a blog that was inviting readers to list their favorite memoirs...Dani's name came up frequently.

In the case of the current book I am reading, last week my friend told me she was reading a book that she thought I might enjoy. She thought it reminded her of me though I am not sure as to why she thinks that. The title is The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey. I have begun reading and I find it fascinating and hard to put down. It really is about the power of observation and the peacefulness that comes with really taking in our world or then again, maybe the thing that is right before us. Being present, keeping our minds where our bodies are. We really miss out on a lot because our busyness, our speeding around getting from here to there...our thinking about all the things that most of the time we can not do anything about or at best can not do anything about at that moment in time.

Last night I 'needed' to walk as opposed to the exercising kind of walk. Filled with tension I felt I needed to walk it off. My ipod's battery was dead so it meant I had no music to walk to. At first just random thoughts and the walk began in earnest. I started to notice tree lines and the coming dark and then the beautiful full moon. My thoughts turned to all that I had been processing, turning over and examining for the past few days. Which then lead to a prayer, just this conversation with God, which lead to my recited the Rosary( from another time ) using my fingers as prayer beads. I was praying for my life, the lives of my children , my husband, grandchildren, friends...all the losses, all of the things that have been weights...and all the time keeping track of the moon and crying. I love walking in the dark...no one can see the tears. But more importantly, I was being present , in the moment, with no distractions...I came home lighter, peaceful, and somewhat different...I had turned a corner it seems, a necessary one on this map of life.

Have a great day and thanks for reading. And comments are nice...