What Did I Find in the Woods Today?
You’re in for a big surprise
No, it’s not teddy bears.
I’m in a new land, one that is cool and green, and where the air is not full of bushfire smoke. I said to the taxi driver taking me to the train station, “It’s good to be back in Paradise!”
And it is. Here there is quiet green farmland, patches of forest, rolling hills, mountains in the distance, and not too far away, the ocean’s blue.
One of the forests is ancient. Tall, twisted trees, rising to a canopy far above, bark covered in lichen and moss, huge old trees here and there amongst their baby sisters.
A path winds through the grove, lined with stones, making a perfect pathway for walking meditation.
Holy folk from various traditions stand in open patches, or at the foot of trees. The Buddha, quietly meditating, his bald head appearing to be a rock at first glance. Mother Mary, serene and tall, her hands clasped in prayer. Bosomy Indian goddesses, flamboyantly dressed and decorated apart from their improbably perfect breasts.
