I Walk with Baskets - What About You?

I’ve never had a Native American name at least in this life but this morning mine is “Walks with Baskets.”  Down Natchez Trace and round the corner a few houses up near the Blakemore church, I came upon three wire baskets stacked on top of each other on the sidewalk.  I saw the homeowner in her back yard and shouted: Are you getting rid of these? 

Nora who introduced herself said, “Yes” and asked my name.  We talked momentarily about the new fence around her home and how I often see her dog then I walked a half-mile with three baskets in hand. 

It is on this walk along Natchez Trace that my basket is filled most mornings as the trees share their love with me and I with them, the birds serenade and share secrets and I honor animals I come upon whose lives have met an early ending.  It is on this walk that I meet strangers who often feel like kin.  At times they’re working in their yard like my neighbor last week down the street; others are walking to work or with their dogs.  They too have baskets from which they share as I share with them.      

We all walk with baskets on this journey. As children we enter Earth with baskets filled with wonder, imagination, curiosity and love.  Far too soon this stuff of magic begins to be replaced by the stuff of our familial and societal baskets related to limitation, control and fear.  When we’re young we don’t realize our parents once had baskets filled with magic that came to be emptied through schooling, disappointment, trauma and fear. 

At times my basket feels empty.  When I’m aware of this I usually discover that tucked away in the lining of my basket somewhere is a limiting belief related to mistrust or scarcity, there not being enough, or that I have to work harder to deserve the good stuff called love. 

Fortunately this isn’t how the story has to end.  This earthly journey is laced with grace.

When my basket is empty, feels heavy and hard, I get myself into Nature even if it’s momentary to watch a bird or really see a tree. I interact with a neighbor, take one of my walks, be with, really be with, my cats or cook a simple meal and this creates the shift. 

There is an abundance of goodness on this planet, an abundance of goodness, love and energy from which my basket can always be filled.  I’m not saying life’s not hard or sad. Goodness knows I know that but even in the harsh times we can walk with baskets of appreciation and joy and ask for help from others when it seems there just isn’t good stuff to be felt.

Today I walk with baskets. What about you?  

Imagine the shift of releasing the negatives in your basket and allowing your baskets to be emptied and filled by the wonders of this world.

-Dawn, The Good News Muse 9 July 2012

dawn@imaginetheshift.com

* Thank you Nora, Ginger, Judy, Clare and James for being allies in my journey 

and for filling my basket. I hope I help fill yours.*