Finding My Walden

I used to own a copy of a book called "Walden" written by Thoreau. I held onto it for years, never endeavouring to read a word. Now, many moons later, I am trying to find it, but to no avail. I am unable to find my "Walden".

I have been searching everywhere. All of my usual haunts and some unusual ones too, but no matter where I look there are only cobwebs of the past.

My "Walden" remains hidden. At the same time, my walden remains hidden.

In truth, my walden is different from the "Walden" of Thoreau. But in ways it is similar. In ways I think we are all searching, questing for a walden - a place of peace.

Walden takes many different forms - as many as there are those to imagine it. For me, here with my Earth, walden is a clearning amongst a stand of tall trees. Some might call it a thicket. The trees are both coniferous and deciduous, with the primordial elder Gingko trees occupying the central fringes of the thicket. There are brambles of bleuberry stalks along with carpets of cranberry patches.

This is a place I have known my entire life - my whole life - providing me with a backdrop of wholeness and continuity in a land of fractured discontinuity.

Each of us, in our own way is searching for our own waldens. A place of peace, a place where the busyness of ourr lives can be quieted.

My earth finds walden in a mosaic of greens and browns, flora and fauna each struggling to fulfill its niche, each trying to find a way to survive.

My water finds walden in an ocean of blues and browns and greens with the dance of the continuing motion, the ebb and flow of the waves providing an energy of a survival dance. Each wave each struggling to fulfill its niche, each trying to find a way to survive.

My fire find walden in a bonfire of sunrises and sunsets. Each fire each struggling to fulfill its niche, each trying to find a way to survive.

My air finds walden in a strong northerly wind, criss crossed with a breeze of easterly winds. Each wind each struggling to fulfill its niche, each trying to find a way to survive.