A Healing Circle of Strangers

As I write this first posting for Healing Circles, I have just finished my usual morning walk around little Hampton Lake near Albany, NY. Just a five minute drive from our apartment, my husband insists this is a pond. But the sign on the town building near the small beach assures me that this is Hampton Lake Park. Like many lakes, Hampton has a road that hugs its shoreline. Aptly named Shore Line Drive, this narrow country road clocks exactly a one-mile loop. The perfect place for an easily-planned, no-fuss exercise program, a quick journey around this tiny lake also offers a beautiful opportunity to experience the wonder of nature and to wonder at the nature of our how we experience life.

There are many of us “over-55” regulars ~ and lots of younger people too ~ who do a daily morning, afternoon, or evening walk, jog, run, bike, whatever, around this peaceful little circle of water. Most of us don't know each other by name, but we do know each others' faces as we pass in opposite directions ~ or even recognize body shapes, as we catch up to someone from behind and pass by them. We greet each other with “good mornings” or “how are yous” as we each quietly continue on our own way.

But, it is not only the human encounters that make this circular journey such an important part of my day. As much as I look forward to seeing “Young Jogging Lady with Blonde Ponytail” or “Taller Version of a Young Wilford Brimley”, I truly relish seeing my animal friends. As “Lady with the Gilligan Hat” voiced so well one day, “Don't you just love being a part of this little place in Nature?” And I do.

I know that most mornings, if I arrive at the lake parking lot before 8:30, I will be rewarded by getting to witness the noisy, honking show of a V-shaped geese-landing on the water. Or if the geese have already landed, they will hurry toward me to see if I've brought any bread for them to eat.

Just like people, geese have many different personalties. There are pushy geese who adamantly demand there due with much squawking and some hissing. There are shy geese who stand off to the side waiting to be noticed. There are geese that work in teams, pushing together toward you, until you are forced to just throw a lot of bread pieces up in the air. And of course there are the non-conformists, who just stay in the water, flapping their wings, dunking and cleaning themselves.

When the bread supply is depleted, I head out of the parking lot gate and start walking down the small hill. Why don't you join me.

Just a quick note before we continue . . .
Unless otherwise noted, the beautiful photos you see here
are the work of my professional photographer brother-in-law, Jerry Skrocki.

Staying along the lake side of the road, I may catch sight of one of the little muskrats paddling near the shore and then diving underwater to find food. Until I started doing this walk, I had never seen a muskrat up close. They are fascinating to watch. If you are interested in learning more about them, check out My Links. It was very unusual to see one of the little critters climb up on a stump that was sticking out of the water. I had just enough time to snap these two shots before s/he dove back into the water. (Thanks to Jerry for fixing up my photos.)

Often wildlife meets domesticated animals along the lake. Here a familiar kitty saunters across the road, pretending she is a tiger stalking prey. Field mice beware!

The yellow sign reads:
SLOW DOWN. Kitties & Kiddies At Play.

Further along, down the hill ~ about a quarter of the way along my walk ~ there are several large weeping willows that hang over the lake.

Just around the curve from here, I will usually see duck families and more geese. May and June has offered wonderful opportunities to watch up close both ducklings and goslings swimming and playing around under the watchful eyes of their proud mommas and poppas. Talk about how quickly children grow up ~ it's amazing how fast those little fluffy, downed birds increase in size. Geese babies that were up to my shins just two weeks ago, are now thigh-high.

Continuing around the lake, as I reach the halfway point along my route, I will be able to look straight across the lake to where my car is parked. (Another one of my photos, sans Jerry's help.)

There are always lots of birds singing in the large elms, maples and oaks that line this side of the shore. Other than your usual sparrows and robins, I'm not good at identifying birds. But I do know a hawk when I see one, and I have seen many here. And of course, there are the ever-present crows, gleaming blue-purple and black in the sunlight. Hawk and Crow represent powerful energy in the Native American tradition. According to The Medicine Cards (Sams, J. & Carson, D., Bear & Company, Santa Fe, NM, 1988), Hawk is a Messenger, and Crow represents the Law ... the Universal Law that is.

Over the past few days, there has been a Blue Heron visiting our little lake. Its presence has gotten a lot of attention. For such a big bird, it has been very difficult to get a photo of her/him. But yesterday, my husband managed to capture a very distant view of this amazing bird. Look closely ... s/he is at the center of the photo at the far edge of the water.

Not far past the half-point ~ which is approximately where the Heron is ~ I always look for the small family of turtles that are usually sunning themselves on an old fallen log, which sticks out of the water near the shore. Got to be quiet though. If they sense you peeking at them, they will quickly slip themselves right back into the lake. Whoops! Missed them again. But I'll keep trying to get that picture.

And so our walk continues. As I reach the three-quarter mile point, I go past a thick, tall stance of marsh reeds. Here I will sometimes catch up with one of the muskrat family again or at least hear something rustling and splashing.




My walk is almost done at this point. As the lake juts to the right, Shoreline Drive opens up to a place where a side road connects near a group of small houses. Soon, I will see the neatly trimmed field, basketball court, tennis courts, and kiddies' playground next to the parking lot where my car is. (Respecting people's privacy, no pictures here.)

Also located along the edge of this area is this wonderful marshy channel, where you can hear bull frogs croaking away, but you just can't find them.


And so I am back where I began. Checking my watch, I assess whether I managed to do that mile in less than 15 minutes. If not, I've spent too much time communing with my nature friends. Often a second loop is required.

But this morning, as I sit at a picnic table near the water, writing this to you, I'm watching a grandmother and her toddler grandson toss bread to the ducks and geese. And it reminds me that the real reason I come to this little lake every day has almost nothing to do with the physical benefits of the walk I take. Much more important is the joy that I experience from these simple, natural moments of becoming a part of nature's beauty and noticing my own aliveness in these moments.

Plus ~ even more ethereal, yet emotionally palpable ~ is the wonder of sharing this experience with a Circle of Strangers. Surprisingly, it is similar to a Circle of Friends who have known each other for years, and through their shared experiences can say paragraphs with two or three simple words. Like those old friends, this Circle of Strangers on the Lake ~ with familiar faces and recognizable body shapes ~ can express to each other the freshness of a summer afternoon shower, the calmness of an autumn morning's mist resting on the water, the joy of a bright, sun-warmed winter morning, the gentleness of a spring duckling's down.

All that, by simply saying, “Good Morning.”

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This Circle of Strangers on the Lake is one of my favorite Healing Circles. I invite you share some of your thoughts and feelings. Do you have a circle of strangers?

It is my hope that as we continue to share in this Gathering Place for Nurturing the Feminine Spirit, that this will become one of your favorite places to visit.

Peace & Light,

Jae