Horizons

“We are never tired, so long as we can see far enough.”

Horizons orientate me.

Not many of my days begin with a walk on a deserted beach; I live a little too far inland for that.

But I have learned to take time to orientate myself each morning, to gain better contact with myself, to arrive in my immediate world and gather a sense of the horizon that will contain my day.

The ritual that holds me steady and level begins with a few moments of morning calm; I appreciate a peaceful morning coffee, space to organise my thoughts, time to write diary notes and a few lines of ‘free-fall.’ My anxieties, concerns and the nagging ‘to-do list’ that mysteriously appear in the pre-dawn drowsiness become manageable; the elusive ‘must-not-forget-that’ inspiration of my dreams is replayed and carefully noted.

The day settles itself and I open to creativity and capability. As Emerson says, ‘the health of the eye seems to demand a horizon’ and, with my inner horizons in focus, I turn my gaze to the skyline beyond our house; wet grass cold underfoot, brushing into the cooling breeze, pausing for a moment to be touched by the world. Emerson’s words become a mantra;

‘The simple perception of natural forms is a delight.’

These days, many of us feel that our every-day working lives are troublesome, overwhelming, even toxic. Perhaps recent experiences have shown us the ineffable value and soft fragility of our health and freedom.

I know that holding time and space for restorative practices is often commensurate with privilege and favour while many of us are struggling just to get by. But I’m increasingly convinced that those who can, should become advocates: we should share the opportunities that connect us and open up the spaces that let us see far enough to find our way back into contact with the world.

We all need to feel the contact of cool ground beneath our feet.

We should all be able to lift our eyes to the horizon.

Notes:

This writing had been emerging for a while and then an astonishingly beautiful image by Isabel Curdes on Twitter crystallised my thoughts. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear… Isabel shows us our world, beautifully.

I’m finding my way into Ralph Waldo Emerson’s writing. I gathered my opening quote from Emerson Central, which is a fabulous resource. Alternatively, if you prefer to touch and hold your books, you might enjoy The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Finally, there’s something about our trip Iceland that won’t leave me. Perhaps it’s the elemental proximity of the landscape, it can feel like a thin place: you are never far away from the fundamental constituents and power carried within the still molten core of our earth. The ever present spaciousness paradoxically holds you in close contact. And there are some darn good horizons….