My River Legacy Thoughts

I enjoyed today a great deal. Phyllis at the center said that nature is not something we go to; we are nature. I had never thought of it this way.

Another thought. As we were walking down the winding paths through the vegetation at River Legacy Park, I thought about how I love order. If you know me, you will know that although I love order, it is an unattainable goal. But I do love straight lines. In fact, this probably sounds quite outrageous, but I love the tile in my house because of the orderliness of the pattern. I was amazed as the tile layer placed the tiles. Every tile went down in a particular way. I sometimes simply look at my tile, amidst the clutter of my house, and I calm down.

Back to my River Legacy thoughts - At first glance, the overgrown grass and plants appeared chaotic. Walking along, talking to new friends, I began to notice an order to the plants and trees. Nothing was out of place although nothing was in a straight line! It made me wonder about how I love straight lines and how we've lived in cities for so long that it seems the only acceptable order of plants and trees is the suburban model. Perfectly manicured lawns with exactly straight lines. Suddenly it came to me, we like the order of our suburban homes because we have control of how it looks. Within an area of natural growth like River Legacy Park, little is under our control if we let it grow and develop as God intended. The river will change course as the seasons change, plants will grow and die as needed for the ecosystem adaptation, and trees will die when they reach the end of their lifespan. All is in order if we let it be.

I found as much peace in the park as I do in my house. In fact I believe I was more at peace this morning than I have been in a long time. River Legacy Park is the perfect name for what I want to leave for my family and students. I need to make sure I am a good steward of what has been given to me, and enjoy the peace I've found today.