Remembering the Girl by the Stream

A short block from my house in Stayton OR, there was a gently flowing creek through the thick woods. It happens that it was a shallow creek that I could access by crawling beneath the foliage and through the brushy undergrowth. As a five year old, I loved the gentle sound of moving water. It left me with a serene feeling as I emerged from the densely wooded area. I wasn’t to play there, so sometimes I would just pay a quick visit.

I imagined myself on a brave expedition as I stood beside the stream and threw a few stones, returning as a conqueror to my yard where I continued playing in my private inner world - refreshed somehow, by the memory I carried with me of the sound of moving water and the plop of the stones.

At five, I owned my world – now a memory where I return years later and recall and feel the serenity and joy of being me.

As children, when we are blessed with a sense of security, our cells become embedded with the experience of moments of presence - peace. Years later as life happens to us and presence becomes a challenge, we can revisit these memories to assist us in our cultivation of presence moment by moment.

I invite you to send me your story of a moment of happiness as a child. I reserve the right to use your “moment” in a future blog in complete confidence.