It’s raining, again, finally. I am relieved, again. It surprises me how much I worry about the change in our local climate (and everywhere else!). My worry is about the whole thing – here and everywhere else. My surprise has more to do with feelings and memories I have about this place – a temperate rain-forest in my mind and body. A place of nearly constant moisture – mist, drizzle, rain, rivers, oceans. (When I first moved here in the early 1980’s, I heard someone say that this climate was good for thinking, having something to do with negative ions generated by moving water….) I think this is a very common human trait: in our deep need to know and understand, we make assumptions about the way things are. We translate the way we think things are into the way things should be. Hot, dry summers in Oregon? No. And yet, over and over and over again, Life offers us the teaching that things change, and rarely meet our needs or expectations. If we are willing, we help ourselves to begin again everyday, to let go of our assumptions and meet the world anew.
That’s the work and the journey we share as members of the Fellowship – to help each other be able to grow and change as everything changes. And yes, to support and comfort each other when that work is hard – which is most of the time! We do that best by continually meeting each other, by listening, and conversing, and sharing time and activities. Everything we do is for the aim of helping each other grow and change as everything changes. As October arrives, I am grateful again to be part of this learning,
helping community. I am wondering what this new season will bring – including what the trees will look like – so many have brown edges from the heat of the summer. Will the colors arrive? Will they meet my hopes and expectations? I’m relieved that whatever happens, I am part of this beautiful companionship with all of you, and we’ll meet what comes together.