Observe the Month of May, the Merry Month of May

“O, the month of May, the merry month of May,
So frolic, so gay, and so green, so green, so green!”

As we move into the merry month of May, we may notice that Mother Earth is “so green, so green, so green.” Perhaps your yard is blossoming with new growth; that which you have planted and nurtured, or maybe that which you refer to as weeds.

What have you observed?

• Are the deciduous trees beginning to fill out and offer a bit of shade?
• What new flowers have appeared?
• How green and tall is the grass? And are there several varieties?

For a moment, or maybe longer if you wish, take a walk through the greens of your yard or neighborhood. Allow the gifts of May to awaken your senses. Notice the trees, the gay new blossoms, the bees. Observe the many shades of green nature offers in just one yard. Allow your feet to touch the real earth; feel her coolness, her warmth. Breathe in the scents of lavender, rosemary, or the sweetness of your roses. Listen to the frolicking frogs, the rustling leaves. Taste the mint, or even a blade of grass; taste the green!

The beauty of sacred living is that it is available in every moment, every experience.  It is usually a matter of noticing the sacred in the ordinary.

At least once this month allow yourself to be fully present in your yard or garden. No need to pull weeds, water grass, or prune anything. Simply experience and observe.  Maybe you will notice the frolic, the gay, the green of May - the merry month of May* - in your own backyard.

*Thomas Dekker wrote "The Shoemaker's Holiday" which included his poem "The Merry Month of May."

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