Encountering life in the valley

It’s all around us,

this evidence of life:

flowing in the stream,

emerging from the ground,

breathing the air.

Life in abundance

everywhere we look,

and in those places

we cannot see,

yet know it is there.

Precious.

Hidden.

Beautiful.

Vulnerable.

How could we value

such an extraordinary gift?

+ Sue Heatherington, Earth Day 2023

One of our old Welsh farmer neighbours talks about here as the prettiest little dingle in South Wales. And we know what he means.

The valley is enclosed, a hidden ecosystem with its nature and rhythm. And with the intentional re-wilding we’ve encouraged over the years, the diversity within these 40 acres is astonishing.

Yet we’ve had to attune our senses to perceive it. And so much is still unfamiliar territory to us. It takes time to get to know a place like this, and it forms you in the process.

This, too, is a gift.

And reminds us that we are all shaped by our valley experiences as much, if not more than, our mountain tops.

Pause. See differently. Re-story ??

~ To receive my daily pauses in your inbox, including the weekend digest and notes on The Art of Quiet Disruption, please sign up here.