You’re never really alone, you know, walking through the woods, even when you are alone. There is always an intelligence out there, and it’s more than just the plants and animals. Of course, the plants and animals have their own intelligence and their own ways, but there’s more to it out there than just the forest creatures. And it’s watching.
I’m convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that it’s
benevolent. Nevertheless, it is not a
pushover. It’s a curious presence that
is very watchful and protective of its territory. When you walk through the woods, this
presence knows that you are not a creature of the woods. It knows that you come from a place outside
of its jurisdiction. The more of a city
person you are, the more blatant the neon sign on your forehead says, “I am not
a creature of the woods. I don’t belong
here.” This is no disrespect to city
dwellers. It is just something I have
noticed myself when running into travelers in the woods. The sign is immediately evident.
 |
| Can you see it? |
But in any event, the curious presence watches and follows
at a kind and respectful distance. You
can see the eyes if you look, as it shifts from this manifestation to that as
quickly as a bird changes its song. Now
it’s large boulder, then it’s a tree, and then it’s a stream. It passes through the landscape like an
almost invisible cloud. Can you see it
in this photo?
It asks, “Who are you?
Why are you here? What do you
want? What are you made of?” The longer you stay in the woods, the easier
you can spot it. If you stay several
nights without returning to town for any reason whatsoever, you begin to see it
more and more. And then one day, if you
stay for quite a while, you can feel it pass right through you now and then as
it gently rolls on its way, having manifested in you for a few moments as it
follows the latest pilgrim.
It’s a flash, an immediate “I am,” but you know it when it
happens. When you see the pilgrim, you
see a stranger traveling clumsily. Is he
interested in his surroundings, drinking them in joyfully? Or is he chatting loudly with another person
or on his cellphone, smashing through the underbrush as a bull in a china
shop? Did he see the presence pass
through you? Does he know he’s being
watched? Take one look into his eyes,
and you will know, because now your eyes have seen through the eyes of the
presence.
It’s a curious presence that is very watchful and protective
of its territory. Everything you do is
recorded into an exquisite accounting system, and exactly what you put in is
exactly what you will receive.
