As a child I have always been called a 'nature child' or a 'free spirit'. I used to climb trees in the summer and ice skate in the winter.  Long before I really knew what spirituality was, I was in touch with it! As a child sitting in the branch of a large tree I used to think and dream all the time and felt in harmony with my surroundings. When I used to ice skate (outside) I always felt so free and happy, gliding silently across the frozen water made me feel light as the air and as smooth as the frozen lake. It was not until much later in life when I realized that, that sense of inner peace and connectedness was a divine experience, a type of 'religion'...  a powerful spiritual connection with all life!

When I was 19 or 20, I went (with my boyfriend of the moment) to Peaks Kenny State Park in Maine. I had been there as a child a few times and even though I couldn't describe it as a child, I always sensed a very old spirit there.  I remembered an area that was away from the main part of the beach with a large flat rock that was hidden along the side of the lake. We climbed over the vegetation (which had obviously thrived since my last visit) and found the flat rock! It was still there.  It was in a secluded spot so I removed my bikini top and stretched out on the warm flat rock. The cool water tickled my toes as the sun caressed my skin. I felt in touch with myself and my surroundings. I melted into a sort of blissful peace and quiet meditation. I felt in harmony with the rock, the water,  the sky, and the sun. There seemed to be no difference between myself and them. I let go...   renewing and energizing my spirit. Needless to say I did not want to leave when it was time, but I felt great for a long time after. That was when I truly realized what 'spirituality' was and felt like. I give thanks to that special place, which drew me there on a gorgeous day, to teach me what I needed to know. However, I did not dare tell anyone my thoughts at the time for fear of sounding crazy.

Later on I had another really spiritual moment...

One of my powerful connections to the divine was when I was cross country skiing in the winter! Yes in the dead of winter! A storm had raged the night before with that old Northeast wind howling all night long. Though you cannot hear the snow fall, you know that it is swirling and piling up with the howling wind.

The next day, the sun came out... nice and bright and it was a very pleasant day, the raging winds had died and the blanket of snow left behind was so crisp and  pure white, I just couldn't resist taking out my cross country skis.

I went out in the woods near Fort McCleary in Kittery Point, Maine and started out at a quick pace. The old trail had been wiped clean by the new snow and I was the first person that day to be on the trial!  Cutting a new path through the snow is fun.

I huffed and puffed along until I had to catch my breath. It's funny but the spot I stopped at was absolutely stunning! The pristine white snow was sparkling in the bright sun... tiny rainbows glinted off the snow crystals, sharing it's beauty for everyone to behold. Casting a radiant glow on everything it touched!  The large pine trees were heavily weighed down with mounds of snow, but somehow they didn't complain about their burden,  which heavily weighed down their boughs. Indeed the snow  seemed to rest gently on the boughs,  sharing the warmth of the sun.  Of course the probably trees know that the snow will nourish them in return so they bear edtheir burden with dignity, grace, and calm.

It was so pretty and of course I did not have a camera. However,  I suppose the beauty was not meant to be 'captured' but something that was supposed to be experienced and felt in the deepest places of our being. I stood silent for a very long time, then very slowly offered prayers of thanks for the wonderful day, for giving me eyes with which to take in the magnificence of my surroundings and the wisdom to appreciate it. Eventually, I continued my trek but at a slower and more leisurely pace and stopped often to inhale the beauty of my surroundings.

Winter is not dead...  it's very much alive!

The birth of my daughter was also one of those very spiritual moments, though I think being in a hospital did not nurture my spirit very well. But once we got home... I was able to enjoy her and the whole experience. I bonded very closely with my baby girl, and my mother often told me I was like a mother bear.

One other point... I always have had a canine companion for as long as I can remember. I love dogs and will probably always have one by my side. I feel that they ground me and keep me humble. In memory of Homer, Fluffy, and my precious little Zebediah... and in honor of my new companions, Dakota and Sadie.

I had looked in churches and at various religions to find that sense of what I call spirituality. I could not find it in a church and the only places I ever had such a sense of wonderment, peace, and connectedness was in and with nature. I still have trouble explaining to people why I don't seem to have any 'religion' when in fact I try to be very spiritual...  just not in the religious sense. The Native American Philosophy is where my heart is and always has been even before I even knew what it was. I am NOT knocking religions at all and in fact I work at a church. But what I feel so far, I have not been able to find in a church.