One of the best things about a walk in the woods is to be surrounded by the utter cacaphony of nature.  

Really, when you think about it, it’s a mess in there.  Trees falling every which way, vines and thorns running in all directions, leaves heaped in erratic piles, little tufts of grass peaking out from under random mushrooms, a wild array of sticks and stones, punctuate every nook and cranny.  It is so beautiful.  The mix and the mess, the various shades and shapes of all things green and brown, rough and smooth, vivid and dull……and this time of year, the bonus of reds and golds and oranges fluttering through the air like a million dollar bills dropped from a plane flying by.

Chaos is the natural order.  When my own life feels wacked out in all directions, I remember my walks in the woods.  Underneath everything is a divine, natural DNA executing  its plan,  doing its thing without me to guide a milli-second of it.  All those leaves are landing on the ground, turning into a blanket of soon-to-be compost, protectng the growing buds for winter’s visit—and then, there they are one day, peaking their way into spring—right on time, right on cue.

Being the smart and sophisitcated folks that we are—-we clear all this out.  We re-design, landscape, nip, tuck and pluck the earth so that we can water and weed and feed and pray for the azaleas to bloom again, if the bugs don’t deem them the perfect buffet.  We think we are in control.  And, then, here come the weeds.  I think they may be laughing at us.

The Japanese calligraphy symbol for chaos is the same as the symbol for opportunity.  If you get the chance, take the opportunity to go for a walk in the woods, where the chaos provides perfection.  Walk in the quiet grandeur of a plan so much more intricate and magnificent than any crop of camelias we could ever fret over.