Made Small in a Garden

This Earth Day, we were given a gift.

A morning spent long in a local garden. The air was cool and the ground damp from a night of heavy rain.  The weather brought hesitation,

but thankfully, it was
decided that the wet night might have made it that much more peaceful. 

This was garden time for preschoolers. 

Truly, who might appreciate it more? 

  A story was read and earthworms investigated.  

Little shovels broke ground and gave life to a young tree about their age.   

We wondered what it might grow to look like someday.  Fortunately, farther down the path, was that same type of tree, with thirty years worth of life behind it. 

Under the trees and among the art, we felt small. 

Reminded that we are not the center of things.  

Some pieces of artwork called for a second, closer look.

When group time ended, we three wandered further along.

In awe of the eruption of color among the damp leaves and lofty trees.   

When we made it back to the newly planted tree, we were certain that it had already grown...just a bit. 

Every now and then, we stopped to investigate found treasures,

and to see from a new vantage point. 

We smelled flowers,

and wandered down meandering gravel paths,

not sure what we might see around the next bend.

Trusting that the next view was likely to be just as magical as the last. 

Sometimes though, we just sat still 

and let our giggles wash over us. 

"Keep your sense of proportion by regularly, preferably daily,

visiting the natural world." ~ Catlin Matthews