Dear Honey Run Friends,
I’m not sure if it is age or living here in rural America, but I have grown to truly enjoy sitting and watching the forest. Before I moved up to Holmes County, the wildlife I enjoyed in the suburbs of Columbus, beyond the token squirrel, was limited to say the least. I did not miss seeing other animals. In all honesty I did not think about nature much beyond the token drive to the country or state park. I had plenty of activities to keep my attention in the city and fill my days. Then I moved to Holmes County, and that all changed. Most businesses close by 6 pm, and there are no entertainment options after dinner. After I adjusted and my new normal became a part of my routine, I found that I did not miss the hustle and bustle of the city. I found new pastimes.
The most surprising new hobby was watching the forest. It’s an incredible living work of art. I watch the wind blow the trees as they sway with each gust. I watch the squirrels and chipmunks fly from limb to limb as they work their way across the canopy highway. I watch the deer scavenge the forest floor for food, and then as they watch me watch them. It’s a funny game we play. They move and I watch with interest. I move and they watch with a little interest and a little fear.
On a sunny day, when the sunshine leaks through the leaf canopy and streams to the forest floor, it is almost a spiritual sight. It’s as if heaven is sending down its joy to the ferns tucked among the trees on the forest floor. I have never heard of forest watching as a “thing to do,” but this has quickly become one of my favorite activities. The sense of calm and peace that I receive from watching this living scene is hard to describe. What I can describe is the joy I feel. Everything melts away. I don’t hear the constant buzzing of the phone or think about what I must get accomplished, I just sit and soak in the moment. These quiet moments help me realize that the world turns everyday without my efforts.
While I am a valued member of his earth, I am not the center of it, and with or without me, the forest will go on doing what it does every day.
I am thankful that I live and work in a place where I have the forest surrounding me almost the entire day. I am thankful that my life journey has allowed me, as I mature, to enjoy nature and all its wonders. I am thankful in this season of giving thanks that I have the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the sense of smell to observe all the beauty that is provided for us in this world.
I pray you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday, and have some time to stop and watch the forest!
Your forest admiring Innkeeper,
Jason
I so look forward to reading your newsletters. They make me happy, calm and sometimes remind me just to breathe. While not a forest, our home is surrounded by trees filled with birds, squirrels, chipmunks and the occasional hawk, raccoon, possum and skunk. I work from home and am normally glued to my phone and laptop but EVERY morning I leave my phone inside and go out to feed all of my little woodland creatures and visit my little slice of nature for about an hour. It allows me to start my day with a positive outlook and gives me the mindset for a productive day. Thanks for your beautiful and touching words. I wish you many more happy moments of watching the forest. Wishing you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!
Enjoyed both of these letters. Don’t forget seeing the moon at night and the shadows on the land….