Heres one for the road...

Dance as though no one is watching
Love as though you've never been hurt before
Sing as though no one can hear you
and live as though Heaven is on Earth

Nature Awareness once again has helped someone to discover another side to their life...

Independent Study

Quite separate from my research a smaller study on ‘Meet a Tree’ was carried out by friends of mine, during several of their workshops, they facilitated three games on separate days, the number of participants taking part and the results of each game are as follows.

1st Game: three out of three participants found their trees. 2nd Game: two out of three found their trees and in the 3rd Game: two out of three found their trees.

The following observations were made during the 1st Game the participants (known as the Bricklayer, the Roofer and the Youngman). The Bricklayer pointed out his tree immediately. The Roofer had a near miss and then went on to find his tree later, without assistance. The Youngman wandered around the woodland for a while, before correctly identifying his tree. The Bricklayer apparently formed a real bond with his tree and returned to it many times throughout the weekend workshop. He stated that his experience of ‘Meet a Tree’ had made a real impact on the direction that he would like to take his life. When the Roofer (who was successfully overcoming an alcohol issue) found his tree, he became very emotional to the point of crying. His wife stated that she had never seen him become that emotional in the 20 years that they had been together.

Feedback

I have just received some feedback from my friends who carried out the above study. The bricklayer and roofer having experienced ‘Meet the Tree’ apparently decided to take a friend of theirs who suffered from agoraphobia into the woods to play ‘Meet a Tree’.

It turns out that this person has now lost their agoraphobia. I have asked for written conformation of this report. I will keep you posted.

The Special Mother : by Erma Bombeck

Most women become mothers’ by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit. This year nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of special children. Did you ever wonder how mothers of special children are chosen? Somehow I visualize God hovering over earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.

"Armstrong, Beth; son. Patron saint...give her Gerard. He's use to profanity."

"Forrest, Marjorie; daughter. Patron saint, Cecelia."

"Rutledge, Carrie; twins. Patron saint, Matthew."

Finally He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a special child."

The angel is curious. "Why this one God”? She's so happy."

"Exactly," smiles God, "Could I give a special child to a mother who
does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But has she patience?" asks the angel.

"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea
of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she'll handle it."

"I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has her own world.

She has to make her live in her world and that's not going to be easy."

"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in you." God smiles,
"No matter, I can fix that.This one is perfect - she has just enough selfishness."

The angel gasps - "selfishness? Is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a 'spoken word'".

She will never consider a ‘step’ ordinary.
When her child says 'Momma' for the first time,she will be present
at a miracle, and will know it!"

"I will permit her to see clearly the things I see... ignorance, cruelty, prejudice.... and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of
her life, because she is doing my work as surely as if she is here by my side".

"And what about her Patron saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in mid-air.

God smiles,

"A mirror will suffice."

ARE we the only animals?

We are the only animals that if kept in the zoo and the door was left open we would call out ‘SHUT THE DOOR YOUR LETTING IN THE COLD’, whereas every other species would be running out the door to freedom and returning to nature.

Source was a friend of Thomas Schorr-kon.