Nature's "Welcome"

I just got back home from a walk on a park nature trail. There is something about nature trails that really attracts me like nothing else does. The Bible says that God made Adam (the first human) out of dirt, "breathed" life into him, and then placed him into a garden. Maybe that's why I feel a sense of refreshment from nature.

Walking into the woods, I'm greeted by the most gentle of all living things: towering trees, exquisite plantlife, and the fluting tunes of songbirds. A gentle breeze strokes the trees, rustling the leaves in a quiet chorus. Sunshine and shadow dance on the forest floor in a play of wind and leaves. The calm scents of soil and fresh rain mingle as the breeze wraps me in a sweet embrace.

Looking up at the towering trees, I am reminded of how little I am. Yet, I am welcome here. Trekking along the forest trail, I realize that it does not matter "who I am" or "what I've done". I simply AM. And that's all that matters here.

The tall trees sway in the wind. The sun moves behind a cloud, casting the trail into darkness. The thought of a storm comes to mind, and I wonder how the trees survive them. Some trees are twisted. Some are missing limbs. Some are infested with insects. Some have been knocked over. And some are completely hollow -- retaining only an outer shell of a trunk -- yet still live.

Swaying softly in the wind, the gentle giants have seen their fair share of tribulation. Yet they continue to sway, to rustle their leaves, forever reaching upwards in a hopeful bid to caress the sky.

And they welcome me.