Have you ever read the book Clan of the Cave Bear?  It is the prehistoric story of an orphaned Cro-Magnon girl, Ayla, who was adopted and raised by a clan of Neanderthal people.  She was ultimately cast out and began a trek across the Ice Age plains of Siberia on her own, seeking her own people.  Parts of the book contain a graphic description of her days walking across that barren land in the midst of harsh elements and show her struggle to survive on her own.

I found that book captivating.  I saw it as the story of a person’s path in life, not knowing what will happen in the next minute or the next day but living fully in the present moment and dealing with whatever comes up on the path.  It is an example of someone living each day one moment at a time, always moving forward, one step at a time.  I found it to be a perfect metaphor for the human experience of living.

This is a book that has stayed with me and I continue to think about it periodically.  Doing that always provokes an interesting line of thought, and it usually is prompted by something I experience in my daily life that makes me think about it.

In the last few days, we have had a light snowfall and some very cold temperatures.  The snow continues to dust the ground in many places, but there are some places where it has melted off and the ground can be seen.  Outside my window is a tall pine tree next to an open space of grass.  The lower level of branches sweep down to the ground and create a circle of protected area at the base of the tree.  

I expected that as the snow began to melt, it would most likely melt first in the open area where the sun shined down without barrier.  But instead, I saw that the open area was melting more slowly and instead the circle of protected ground around the tree has completely melted off.  The impact of the protection the tree offers to the ground below it was visibly evident.

I was reminded of how Ayla would feel immense gratitude whenever she would infrequently come upon a lone tree during her travel across the plains.  A tree would provide some shelter for her, something that was very rare, and she would always curl up in her hide blanket close to the base of the tree, under the branches sweeping down and providing some shelter to her.  She would experience a good night’s sleep while basking in the uncommon protection from the elements.  

I thought about that, and I thought about how the circle of ground under the pine tree outside my window has also enjoyed some protection from the tree above it.  I thought about the impact that sheltering something, protecting, caring for something can have.  In the midst of turmoil or challenge, or even just daily life, there can be a great impact from some care and protection provided by someone else while living in and dealing with that experience. 

I also thought about how care and protection is often not even seen or recognized.  I thought about how many people have driven down the street this morning, driving right past the pine tree and space of ground, and never noticed the dynamic at play with the piece of nature they saw.  That dynamic was not considered or acknowledged.  But the lack of observation made it no less real.  The dynamic was a piece of life that reflected a story and a lesson, and it was made no less true from remaining unseen by others.

It made me think about my own life.  Who and what provides care and protection to me?  In what ways?  Are those things seen and acknowledged by me?  Do I have and express gratitude for them?  What and who is within the circle of protection and care that I offer?  Isn’t that care and protection a part of love, and the energy that I want to contribute to the world around me?  Are there additional opportunities for me to provide those things?

Thinking on all of this was a good meditation for me this morning.  It helped me align with things I know are true and that I think are important.  Sometimes just looking out my window at the piece of the world that I see outside brings me unexpected gifts.

I hope you experience some of these gifts today.