it was once beautiful. The monks in orange robes say, "It must be rebuilt. Now is the time."
"I think they are talking to us, Tha. How are we to rebuild it? You and I live now on two different planes of awareness. Can we accomplish this?"
"They will show the way, I am sure. Since I have been here, I have learned so much. And yet, what I have learned is what I already knew. It was my Earth life which gave me the experiences that utilized my knowledge and made it an active part of Ultimate Reality. It is as if I were a royal and protected child who had been tutored by the wisest elders. Then, when I felt capable, I took upon myself an Earth life.
"The Earth life challenged all of my skills and cunning. I have told you the stories many times. When I left my Earth body, I returned here to our Divine Family and began the retelling so that I could see from many points of view.”
"Tell me, Tha, what you have learned." Just as Tha began to retell some of his life stories from his new perspective, Grandmother drifted off to sleep. Tha's voice is so soothing to her, that its comfort caresses her into a state of quiet bliss. But, Tha continues, knowing that the stories will rise up to consciousness as she goes about her day.
By the River
Yaro liked to walk at night and to find places with a special feeling. In these spots, he would sit a long time, opening to the sensations, noticing what came to mind, wondering. Yaro loved to wonder. How would it be if...? What was it like when...? Who might I bring to this magic that is right here and now?
"Shhh, don't talk," he said to Saffi when he introduced her to this turn of the Shemaya river. "Don't decide anything. Let the categories fall away. Do not even be yourself. Just sit here on this log with me."
"Okay."
Crisp air carrying smells unidentified. Moving shapes, a flutter, leaves, the warm close body and cloth of many kinds. Who sits here with me? Who lives inside this body? Only God. Perhaps, only God. Who moves in the darkness, smells like grass, sounds like the groan of an animal. Only God. Perhaps, only God.
"Are you cold, Saffi?"
"Yes."
"Take my jacket."
Cloth. Many kinds. Warmth. Who gives me this? Only God. Perhaps, only God.
Nature's View
"I will continue singing to the two humans who came tonight," said the river Shemaya. "It is my way. Once they open themselves to my sounds, I enter their consciousness and will always be available to them."
Sycamore replied, "Yes, the humans have forgotten our friendship and wisdom, but it enters them nevertheless. All it takes is a little time and a state of attentiveness."
Raccoon joined the conversation, "They will be back soon. I have been watching them. I sense their intention to learn from nature. They just do not quite know how yet."
"How unfortunate," said EC as she approached them. "I can't keep all of this in order without human cooperation. They expect the forests and rivers to continue giving to them, yet they leave more and more trash wherever they go. And some of it is very foul. It used to be that I would wander my woods route and find a few interesting things. I have quite a collection of alphabet letters from boxes and cans. We have made a game of them.
"Strings and ribbons are useful, and some of the toys and sparkly things have been enjoyed by the children, but we have found no use for the things which spoil the water and soil. I speak to most of you nature spirits every day to make sure your needs are met, but sometimes your entire habitat has been destroyed. I just don't know what to do."
"Keep trying to get their attention, EC," said Sycamore. Some of the humans are awakening to us as living beings."
"I remember the old days. George and I would meet up on the hill, bring baskets of nuts, berries and wild vegetables, our harmonicas, the picnic cloth I made from someone's lost scarf and Juanita's hand-carved bowls and utensils. We would spread everything in the sun to receive Sun's blessing and summon a few friends with a tune.
"But last year, our favorite spot was gone. I can barely talk about it. Robin lost his home. The owl family left. No need to go on. You know the story. George and I were just sick with sadness. I gathered my alphabet letters and tried to leave a note, but I just couldn't make the right words come out.
"George comforted me by saying he would wander closer to town, play his harmonica and see if he could get anyone to follow him. He figured if they could hear his tune even though he was invisible to them, he could lure them to the hilltop, and being persons of exceptional sensitivity, they would be shocked at the devastation of our holy ground."
"Tonight, EC, we have been visited by two humans who sat a long while listening to Shemaya. They might be the people you are looking for. Raccoon says they will be back. We will send him to fetch you when they return."
EC thanked Sycamore for his thoughtfulness, gave Raccoon a pat, nodded to Shemaya and headed for her home in the old Oak. She could sleep a little better knowing that someone might be alive in the human realm who could talk sense into their kind. She cuddled up to George in the way only the Little People do, bringing his tunes to mind and letting them guide her dreams.
Receiving the Call
"Let's return to the river, Yaro. You could fish while I forage. If we are lucky, we will find plenty, and then we shall have friends over for a feast."
"It is a fine day, Saffi. Yes."
They gathered their gear without thinking, for thoughts often spoiled a great idea. They packed snacks and bug repellant and fishing tackle, a basket, a bucket, a blanket, a towel, muck boots, crackers and cheese, water, a journal, a pen, a small bag of corn meal and two hats. They threw all of this in the back seat of their old Honda and took off.
Humming. Touching now and then. Watching shadows and sunlight cross the road. Smelling the fields. Feeling the wind. "Yaro, something special is going to happen today, I feel it. Some magic thing. I am so happy."
Yaro smiled, glancing her way. He had never expected when they met that she would totally love him. My God, he thought, how lucky I am. We live together in our small home. We do reasonable work for decent pay and have plenty of time to enjoy each other.
They pulled off the road not too far from Shemaya's shore, decided what to actually bring down to the riverside and began their hike. When they found their spot, Saffi took out the bag of cornmeal, and sprinkling a small handful into the river and shaking some near the Sycamore, she prayed, "Thank you, our friends, for being here. We honor you and seek permission to fish and forage for our supper."
Sycamore shook his leaves. Shemaya rippled a little louder. Raccoon was not around. Saffi decided to sit awhile and just journal. Maybe a poem would come. Yaro searched intuitively for the fishing spot.
Sycamore told Cardinal to find Raccoon and notify EC and George that the two humans we spoke of were here. Cardinal said, "No use waking Raccoon. I will fly over myself and deliver the message."
The Little People
EC began her day checking on all the forest creatures to make sure everyone had what they needed. She always brought her basket because
