I slide slowly on my tummy on the sparse dishevelled backyard lawn. Our family cat beside me as we hunt grasshoppers. A small light brown grasshopper camouflaged in the lawn moves slightly. Our hunter eyes focus on this small creature. This time we pounce before he hops and it is the end of his life.
As I lay there on the lawn I look closely at a few square centimetres of ground. I begin to notice a world I could not see before. The sparse sandy lawn was full of life. Small ants going about their business, some beetles and other small insects. I notice the different shapes and sizes and colours of the grains of sand and grass leaves in various states of decomposition.
Slowly moving my gaze upwards I see the enormity of the backyard. I moved to a new position on the lawn and again began to stare at a few square centimetres of ground. Again I began to be able to see a busy little world of ants, beetles and insects. I lay my cheek to the lawn and my eyes follow an ant for a while. Trying to see where he is going and to understand the purpose of his journey. I soon lose him in the busy little world traffic.
I pondered the vastness of life going on in my backyard. I thought of the enormous park down the road and wondered if it had the same richness of life in each square centimetre.
I was feeling good and the grass was a perfect temperature and texture on my body and cheek and the sun and gentle breeze made perfect sensations of a sunny warmth on my skin and through my clothes.
When I pursue calmness and peace and happiness I often try to recall that day and those feelings. It was a time when I feel my wise old soul with a child spirit was most visible to me.
As I now look down from my window seat to the cities and towns and villages below I again ponder the beautiful vastness and richness of life on earth.
