"Inward" | Reflection by Maria Brandriff

“…again I hear
These waters, rolling from their mountain-springs
With a soft inland murmur.—Once again
Do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs,
That on a wild secluded scene impress
Thoughts of more deep seclusion; and connect
The landscape with the quiet of the sky…”

—William Wordsworth

This poem so beautifully expresses that to look inward, one must look outward to the beauty and grandeur of nature. From a young girl, I have always felt closest to God when in nature. The beauty of nature has always mesmerized me, has made me feel in awe of God, the Creator. Whether it be by the mountains, ocean, lake or forest, I am thrust into a meditative state. I savor the sound of the waves, the color of the sky, the crunch of leaves or sand beneath my feet; I think of the meaning of life, of love, of loss, of faith. In recent years, looking inward by looking outward has usually manifested itself through the lens of a camera—an obsession to capture the moment, to preserve the beauty around me.

In this pandemic year, we have all had ample time to look inward, sequestered as many of us are in our homes. But restless soul that I am, I prefer to answer the siren call of nature and there to convene with God and look inward.

Words in the Wilderness - Walk through the season of Lent with Trinity, one word at a time. Every day (except on Sundays) we will post a photo and a brief refection written by someone in our Trinity community. https://www.trinitynewhaven.org/words-in-the-wilderness