Echoes Of Andrew Corsie

On the course this week, we have been exploring what reconciliation might mean. Terminology is important as words mean different things to different people – so we needed to deconstruct this word a bit in order to understand its complexities. This was done by looking at reconciliation with – God/or spirituality, self, others, internationally and lastly with nature.
Our professor asked us as we approached the weekend to think about reconciliation in our lives and what that might involve. With a 2 day break, I took off to the mountains (Blue Ridge) and Shenandoah National Park – beautiful places.
Being reconciled with the natural world is important to our connectivity with creation as modern lifestyles despoil so much of it. We are in the habit of using what is available without taking the time to stop and explore creation and what it is saying to us. So for me,being in the mountains, walking in the woods with trees and being near to flowing water, including breathtaking waterfalls was a delight to behold. All of this did my soul good.
Not all of nature is easy to reconcile with though? On my way back up the hill, I almost stepped on a snake. This wasn’t a small garden snake, but a few inches thick and about 3 feet long. Yes,like a fisherman who has lost a big catch and tells the story,”it was that big!” When approaching it the snake looked like it wanted to be ‘reconciled’ with me, but I wasn’t so keen. I stepped by hoping it wouldn’t attack, which it didn’t, thankfully. However, on returning to it in the hope I might get a photo of it, the snake clearly took offense, felt rejected and wouldn’t co-operate.
Undeterred, I continued the climb and about 15 minutes later, turned a corner on the path and found a bear standing there starting at me – yes I have the picture, this time! After the picture taking, I followed the park instructions and walked backwards slowly in order not to be a threat to it. The bear soon walked in to the forest and I returned to the climb, grateful for this wonderful encounter – although I am not sure how reconciliation took place between us?
Today has been a lesson in that reconciliation with nature can be fun, but not as easy as might be expected. However,my soul was ‘settled’ or centred by 2 lovely days in ‘the wild’. It should be, for me, a regular experience and built into my weekly timetable; although I am unsure where reconciliation is more challenging, with nature or humans?!