God Speaks to Me | shekinahsonshine.com

Woodland Wonders

JESUS!

As I stepped onto the path, it darted into the nearby bushes. But the gray body failed to camouflage among the rustic leaves... yellow, red, gold and brown.

"What happened?" my brother asked, moving in my direction.

"SNAKE!" I replied. " Kouliv!"

"Snake?" my brother asked calmly, arriving seconds before it disappeared completely. "That one was quite big!" my brother remarked, handing me a bottle of cold water. I gulped it in split seconds.

"You must have been thirsty", my brother smiled.

Thirsty? For some people a snake stirs more than thirst. It whips up fear! For me, shock merges with joy. Years ago, in Green Lane, Pennsylvania near Lake James, a cottonmouth water moccasin emerged from its depths. Mesmerized and magnetized by the beauty of its pattern, I zoomed in, trying to capture precisely the minute details. With each step, I courted death! Friends intervened and placed it back into the lake. Now, all snakes have to keep their distance, even the ones my cats bring and place on the sidewalk. But, even my cats know what they must do before they present their gifts.

Revived, I moved with measured steps. Grayish-blue beetles clung to a nearby tree. Awestruck, I commented about their colour.

"You are amazed at these beetles? I have seen beetles in so many different colors- red, yellow, blue, gray, brown, black. In fact, I guarantee you that there are countless samples of different insects in the area where you are standing right now. National Geographic would be thrilled to explore this land; and I assure you that if I began to collect samples of what I have seen, they would declare it a reserve! Although National Geographic teams have been all over the world, they have not seen the wonders in our own.

Gaping, I remained speechless until a curly tailed lizard skimmed nearby leaves and peered at me.

"Boy,you bold," I said. "I should have brought my camera."

Just then the screaming birds in the coppice seemed to ask: "And what about us?"

"Manifest!" I called back, curiosity licking me from side to side. "I should have brought my tape recorder!"

A vicious mosquito bit hard and I spanked it, rendering it powerless to bite again. My brother came with a bottle of Ten Hour insect repellent

"You have to protect yourself against malaria and dengue fever," he warned. Agreeing, I thanked him and applied some of it.

I wandered off to find the fork of a tree to rest. Each one I tried was too small! Thankfully, my search was short-lived. After my brother lit the pyre - old dried,dead trees and green ones too - and it began to blaze, he announced that it was time to leave. Relief swept me to my feet. Ideas danced in my head; and I embraced them lovingly. With all doubts removed now, I knew that I had to walk with my camera and disregard distance. The weight seesaw had to give as I initiated new health plans. Healthy,wealthy and wiser is how I want to live!