Weavings is a monthly reflection that is the collective effort of the Wheaton Franciscan Covenant Companions and Sisters to provide spiritual nourishment that helps us feel God’s presence in daily living and invite an openness to God.
My Morning Walk
by Shirley Justin-Wolff, Covenant Companion
For the past 30–35 years, the best part of my day has been my morning walk. It’s a simple activity with very little planning, preparation, resources, or exertion. But what joy, peace, and wonder it brings to the start of my day! My various routes take me through marshes, lagoons, woods, fields, parks, gardens, and quiet neighborhoods, all brimming with nature’s treasures.
Sometimes I encounter excitement: the hoot of a great horned owl, the scampering of a fox, coyote, or deer across my path, a pink sunrise in the eastern sky, or a fading moon in the western sky. I am grateful to spy branches adorned with pure white snow, crocuses popping through the earth, or merely fresh dew on the morning grass. Some of my walk is preoccupied with important or frivolous thoughts about whatever, but what truly lifts my spirits is the quiet time I have to myself. Time to be silent, to listen, to be open, and to just BE! I am calm and grounded for whatever the day may bring.
Thank you for this reflection, as it has inspired me to restart my early morning walking adventures! And it must be early this time of year to beat the 100+ degree heat in Tucson, AZ.
thank you for the reminder to walk and just BE
Thanks so much, Shirley, for sharing you daily walks with us and the lovely photos you took along the way. It reminded me how important it is to take time to just BE.