"The woods are never solitary--they are full of whispering, beckoning, friendly life. But the sea is a mighty soul, forever moaning of some great, unshareable sorrow, which shuts it up into itself for all eternity." -Lucy Maud Montgomery

For as far back as I can remember, trees have been among the greatest of my friends. They entertained me as a child as they whispered these amazing and imaginative,  positively delightful stories....  the rustling of their glorious leaves revealed the wisdom of all who came before me. The branches delighted in whispering  the juicy secrets of those who climbed them..  trying to reach for a piece of the heavens. The light danced, the shadows played, the air filled with laughter... it was so very magical. I both sought and found my refuge within the woodlands. To this very day every forest I encounter summons me with its oh-so-damn-powerful whisper.

There is no place my soul feels more at home.

 "All of nature begins to whisper its secrets to us through its sounds. Sounds that were previously incomprehensible to our soul now become the meaningful language of nature." -Rudolf Steiner

Tall grasses often leave me breathless; especially as the evening sun ushers in. The blades sway ever-so-perfectly, as if there is a song being sung....  just for them. The setting sun casts its golden glint upon the blades... and instantly an entire field is aglow.  Everything seems to hush around me....

s i l e n c e d.

The evening breeze often produces a mumbled whisper.. a whisper that has always spoken to me as secrets. I used to revel in what secrets they were sharing... s i g h...  how i miss the power of my childhood imagination.

Now, as I age... I like to believe they are the whispers of a day gone by and the promises of a tomorrow.

Time's Whisper

The voices of the ocean
course silently with the wind,
rising to rain
before the flood
that sweeps away mountains,
moistening leveled ground
with the kiss of life.
The voices of the ocean of humanity
course through the stream of time,
rising to rain
before the flood
that grinds down mountains,
and sweeps clean the sands of time
with the tides of history.
Listen deeply into the wind,
do you hear?
There is prophesy of a new pulse,
a new heartbeat, yet unborn,
timeless,
within you.
Listen.

11 April 2003
Manuel García, Jr.

I look forward to seeing what you in have store for Week 7 of Echo– Whisper. Susan & I invite each of you to participate in the project and show us your unique vision, your voice, your echo. Remember, to share your link in the comments here so I can add it to the roundup next Wednesday.

• Go visit Susan’s Week 7 post for our other diptych. (which for the record, is my favorite one yet...)
• Our Flickr Group for the collab. ~ Join Us! Find a partner there, read the guidelines and more!
• Add the new Echo button (susan’s awesome design) to your blog if you’d like! Get the code here.
  Chrysti