Chapter 3 - Racing Squirrels

I am writing a book on Nature Connection. Because I found out we can live a connected life even if we live in the middle of a city.

A deep thank you for cheering me on.

For the lovely messages and the feedback, on Chapter 1. It is much appreciated!

Curious how the story continues?

This is Chapter 3 for you - Racing Squirrels.

Let me know what you feel about it!

📷 shutterstock

"As much as my energy allows it, I spend time alone in nature. Visiting the parks in my neighbourhood, taking walks on the dyke or wandering into the heathlands nearby.

For a long time nature seems to be the only place where my mind is clear and I find calm instantly. She slowly becomes my refuge.

On a Friday morning, the kids off to school, I put on a comfy jacket, take a small sitting mat and head to the park of the tall trees. It's an estate nearby with a beautiful small castle, well known for it’s exotic trees.

Entering the park, I notice the first scents of the deciduous woods. A soft air, carrying a humid but sweet fragrance — the smell of the fertile earth beneath my shoes.

I pass a gorgeous Lebanon Cedar, a huge Sequoia and an old thick red Beech tree and take a deep breath at the unlikely yet impressive sight of these three masters.

As the morning sun warms my face, my shoulders drop and I feel my body relaxing.

I realise that for too many years life has been about - managing my week - in stead of enjoying it. I was always navigating something, figuring things out, fixing things. Always in a hurry and of course… never done.

I find three really thick 500 years old Beech trees that stand together in a small circle. My favourite spot in this park. These big mama's are like the queens holding the whole park through the complex web underground of roots, fungi and bacteria where trees and plants care for each other.

I settle down against the trunk of the biggest mama, with the intention to just Be.

At first, my mind keeps wandering. I find myself explaining how this breakdown happened.

I am mother alone, I tell myself, that is a big task. I am raising two kids, keeping a demanding job, trying to keep the house clean and maintained and manage all the bills, on my own. There is always a next thing to fix and a long list of things that need my attention.

In all that busyness I did not find the time for myself and I forgot to build some good relationships in my neighbourhood. Resulting in a lack of the support.

How stupid to be so unaware of the price I was going to pay for always living life in the highest gear. I should have known better!

I lean a bit heavier against the trunk of the big mama and sigh deeply. These thoughts are not helping. Going back the old is no option, Nicole. Overthinking it is not going to make me feel better or speed up the process.

🐿️

I stare at the clouds for a while, trying again - to just Be.

The grasses in front of me look green and lush, the sun and the clouds are creating moving patterns of shade on the field. I hear the birds around me, cheerfully chatting with each other. And notice the beautiful beech forest on the other side of the field and the strong oaks next to them.

A buzzard flies overhead and lands on one of the tall oaks.

My mind naturally becomes quiet and I feel my belly gently expanding and dropping back down with every breath. Ahhh this is good, I can feel my body now.

The birds around me have become more relaxed too. They seem to not notice me anymore. Fully engaging in their own lively dynamic. It actually feels really sweet that they are so undisturbed by my presence.

Even the insects around me seem far more active than when I just arrived. The beetles and the flies are each going about their own ways. It feels good to be part of the liveliness around me.

No doing. Just being.

Having no agenda.

I actually feel part of it all.

Of the birds and the trees and the insects.

I feel part of nature.


I am part of nature.

It is not a thought, rather a viscerally felt, emotional experience that almost feels physical.
Like a deep instinctive knowing that is impossible to ignore.



In this aware and connected state, I ám one with nature.

Nothing else is needed.

Nothing to add.

Nothing to fix

Nothing that I want.

Everything is exactly as it should be.

It feels highly alive and very nurturing.

I try to milk the moment.

🐿️

Then on the track opposite me, a young couple appears.

They are in the middle of a very focussed conversation. He is explaining something, using this arms to gesture widely about it. And she is turning away and then towards him, not agreeing with what is said.

I smile at this typical Dutch behaviour. We go out into our parks with the intention to relax. And we always end up walking in quite a pace and filling the entire walk with conversation. We are so heady! Unbelievable.

.

In that state we don't really connect to nature. I am very sure that the couple had missed the scents, the colours of the small flowers you find here and there where trees grow less dense or the the heron sitting quietly by the lake's edge.

Then I notice how the crows and the insects around me have become quiet again, they have stopped with what they were doing and are alert now.

They keep to themselves until the chatty couple is more than 50 meters away.

For the first time I sense how very disruptive us humans can be. Especially when we are so caught up in our minds.



In that moment I decide to become even more aware of my state whenever I enter nature.

With the young couple out of sight, the birds and insects relax and come back into their natural engagement. They continue their search for seeds, pick up on their chats, and the flock of crows even continues their argument.

With my back still leaning against the mother beech, I feel happy that I am not considered a disturbance in this moment. Rather that I am allowed to be part of it all. It is actually pretty cool that my presence is of a quality that relaxes.

Quieting my mind and relaxing my body seems send a signal of safety. Allowing nature to be comfortable enough to continue with the daily routines.

Life of course resonates with my inner state.

🐿️

On my way back to the car park, I decide to try out that walking meditation I learned years ago at a mindfulness-teacher-training. I slow down my pace and put every foot gently and carefully in front of the other. Sensing the Earth beneath my feet with every step I take.

I focus on rolling my feet and feel how my heel touches the ground first. The sole of my foot traveling the earth next, until finally my toes push off the ground, before I lift my foot.



Every step becomes a meditation and I soften my gaze as I enter a small path in between tall trees.

All of sudden a bunch of squirrels comes cheerfully running down a tree on my left. Racing by me in front of my feet - one by one - as if chasing each other. Then run up a tree on my right.

I keep my focus on my feet, but in my peripheral view I notice the squirrels are turning around half way up the tree, and start racing downward again. Running out of the tree on my right - one by one crossing the path behind my feet - and climbing up the next tree on my left.

I feel a rush of excitement shooting through my body. This is a fun game! They are playing and I am in the middle of it. What an outburst of joy, connection and aliveness. I am so excited, I can hardly keep my focus.

They seem to be enjoying the chasing game with me in the middle and keep running up and down trees, crossing the path right in front of me and right behind me.

I have not felt this ecstatic and energized for a long time.

For a couple of minutes I can keep my focus on the walking meditation and hold space for the excited rushes of energy in and around me. The squirrels thoroughly enjoying this wild celebration of life.

When my curiosity gets the best of me, I raise my head to take a better look at the squirrels who are in a tree on my right side. They however, don't like my sudden direct gaze and immediately stop the race. They quickly run off to trees further into the forrest.

Ahhh too bad! I wish I could have stayed in my connected state for longer without gazing so directly at them.

But what an experience!

In full amazement I stand there on the narrow path, looking into the direction of where the squirrels ran off. Processing the high energies and joyful game we just played.

Walking back to my car, I feel like Life is going to hold me to my end of a new deal.

You want to life a connected life, Nicole?

Well, here is the way.

And you now know the most important ingredients:

• Presence

• An open heart

• Appreciation, and

• Joy

Later that night I remember the words of wisdom keeper Akeekwe, who appeared in the DownToEarth film. 'It is not mystical folks. If you stand in the woods and you feel and hear the wind, that is communication. If you walk on the moss... and you feel that it is almost carrying you, that is communication.'

My visit to the park of tall trees today and the festive game with the squirrels definitely felt like communication. A beautiful exchange of shared experiences.

Leaving me deeply grateful."

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Much love, Nicole

This story is part of a novel based on true events. I have however have taken poetic license to describe situations slightly differently, slightly alter characters, time lines or omit certain details. No rights can be derived from this story. Nothing may be reproduced, nor may any part of this text be copied, used or stored in whole or in part without written permission from Nicole Gaillard.