Breathing life into ourselves and others

The stream.   The rolling sound, moving along past the stones, around the roots fanning out from the big sycamore tree.   It births from the three springs just a half mile east.   An oasis.   The sound of bird song.  Different voices, different species.  It is music.  All different instruments.   They each contribute to the song.   It is the background music.   Measures, stanzas, verses and chorus.   The green along the opposite bank of the honeysuckle.  In the childhood summers I loved to pick the white or yellow bloom.  With my small fingers, I would pull out the Stigma from the middle of the flower and a drop of lovely honey tasting ambrosia would be exposed.  Taking my tongue and licking it.   I would do research whether the yellow or the white bloom would contain the most.  Now we clear that honeysuckle, and put poison into the cut, so that the bush will die in the roots.   We have cleared most of the honeysuckle from this accessible side of the stream.

A plane I hear now.  Not so many as before.   Not so many people can afford to be so close.   The airlines have cut back on flights.   I do see many little private planes, as those fortunate to have their pilots license are able to get away from it all by soaring around in the sky.    They are like those that are here grounded, we are looking for space to walk on the land, in the parks and nature preserves to get out to breathe.  I pilot my horse around the big field.

I breathe in this space.   Sitting in the hammock by the stream.   It feels nice to be able to breathe.  I hear now the footstep of my dog, prodding and splashing across through the water.   Walking down, where the bank is lower.   Footsteps in the mud.  Some deer, some raccoon.   Maybe some Coyote in some places.   Opossum.   Oasis.  Water so necessary to life.

Breathe it in.  I am so glad I am able to breathe it in.  

Before I slept last night, I did practice breathing for someone who is in hospital and fighting for his breath.   I could picture his face in detail.   I took deep, deep breaths for him.  In my deep breath, I sent oxygen-rich blood to every cell in his body.   It was vivid.   It was real.  I lay in my bed and I am connected to him, to his lungs, to his body.    

Now breathing this peace and my well being here at the creek.   I will send him that also.  I close my eyes, and while I breathe, the bird melody, the water flow, the dance of the water across the rocks is with him also.