The squirrels are going nuts. Our backyard has trees – walnut, hickory, and oak. During autumn, the squirrels and chipmunks get busy gathering, digging, storing. Every flowerpot is a prospective stash. At dawn and dusk you can hear “crunch, crunch, crunch” as the deer eat the acorns. It is amazingly loud. They are gathering – food, fat, and thicker fur for the winter.
Last week I wrote about letting go – an intentional process to prepare for the coming winter. Another intentional process is gathering – storing energy for winter.
As you let go of some things, what could you gather to meet your needs and goals? You need fuel and warmth just as the other animals do. As a social primate you need community and positive emotional connection. As a human you flourish when you have a sense of purpose that aligns with your abilities and interests. What might nourish you in the coming season?
The squirrels spend weeks doing this. As I look out the window one is digging a hole while another runs up a tree with a nut in its teeth. A lot of rustling is happening in the next tree over as a squirrel reinforces its nest. Chipmunks disappear down holes every time I glance out. Every dawn and dusk – crunch, crunch, crunch. The animals are in the process of preparing for winter.
