Midsummer Reflections

If we’re paying attention, life begins to reveal little (and sometimes LARGE) lessons to us as we’re traveling down our individual paths. Within the past few years I’ve learned that how a person perceives the world tells you almost everything you need to know about them and their innermost thoughts.

Why?

Because when we’re perceiving a person or event we almost never have the complete story. Our perception isn’t a neutral window into reality, it’s a lens that filters out certain things and adds others. We fill in the gaps with our assumptions and those assumptions are colored by our own unique world view and philosophies.

The person who consistently reads impartial/vague situations as rejection/threats is often carrying a deep sensitivity and trauma related to those situations. The person who assumes good intent (or, the opposite, hidden agendas) is showing you the default-setting of their own internal theory of human nature. Even the traits someone praises or condemns most often in others mirror what they most admire, envy, or struggle with inside themselves.

How I wished I realized this when I was younger! It would have saved so much time. Studying the ways in which we, and others, perceive has much to teach us about ourselves and those around us. As we get older life tends to become much more of an open book, or if we're willing to learn, at least begins to reveal to us more of its pages. As my Dad would always say, live and learn.

Seasons

It's hard to believe but summer is more than half-done for us here in Minnesota. Sunsets are coming a little earlier each night now and the forests and wetlands surrounding us are already showing tiny glimpses of autumn.

The lotus blossoms are poised to grow their shoots and bloom in the ponds, the ducks and geese have all had their babies and have migrated further north.

The Minnesota State Fair will begin in just a few short weeks and this is the signal for many of the beginning of the end of summertime.

This is always around the time of year I realize how few warm days we have left and vow to squeeze every drop of joy out of them. It sure is beautiful out here. I can't say that I miss the city much at all. We've thoroughly enjoyed watching the seasons transition into and out of each other more than I'd ever imagined we would these past few years.

The Resilience of Nature

Before moving to the edge of the wilderness, whan I thought of resilience I never automatically thought of squirrels but this guy has completely changed this. We've named this squirrel Casper (for obvious reasons).

Unfortunately Casper suffered a severe bird-strike earlier in the summer. Although he lived to tell the tale he had a wound the size of a silver dollar on the top of his head and part of his skull was exposed.

The last time I saw him was about a month ago and it didn't appear he was doing well. I thought for sure he was a goner—his balance seemed off and he was lethargic. But low and behold yesterday he showed up at our bird feeders for the first time in almost four weeks!

Although Casper still has a scab on his head, I'm happy to report he's eating and acting like he feels much better. Nature is so much tougher than we can even realize. I can't think of a single person who could have sustained that kind of injury and bounced back without medical attention. Witnessing this kind of thing in nature really does help reframe our own trials and tribulations.

All for now. Make this a wonderful day.