At my best of times, at my worst of times

I have always turned to and received the comfort and reassurance

of Mother Nature.

She has always been there for me.

She enfolds me in her warm embrace.

I trust her and she loves me.

She soothes my upsets

with her soft, melodic sounds

as only she can do.

She strokes me with gentle breezes

and warms my heart

with the glowing of her sunshine.

She is strong, stable,

balancing, kind, and beautiful.

She is also wildly creative, passionate

and has a wicked sense of humor.

She is filled with contrasts

and is the most brilliant of artists that I have ever met.

She plays beautiful music and is joyful,

dramatic, bold, daring and shy all at the same time!

She holds my hand and we dance together whenever I like.

She knows me the best and accepts me for who I am,

and has never, ever judged me or made me feel less than.

Sometimes she laughs at me and teases me a bit.

Other times she pushes me just enough so I don’t get stuck.

Always, she cares and loves me fully.

She invites me to do the same and isn’t sad if I forget about her or doubt.

She knows that I am perfectly flawed and loves me anyways.

Best of all, she shows me the way, invites me along the path

and believes in me with all of her heart

which is very, very big:

Big enough, even, to fit the whole, wide world!

* * *

Vrinda Aguilera is a native of California, she has lived in sunny, rural, north central Florida with her husband and family—two young adults and one teen—for the past 20 years. She teaches young children at the Bhaktivedanta Academy, Alachua, Florida.