Read Eevie Keys' article "The Listening Tree"- a feature in the current issue of SageWoman- "Simplicity."

SageWoman is available through Barnes and Noble, Borders and other fine book stores. It is also available through their web site.

"The Listening Tree" is the story of one child's connection with the world around her, and her deep rooted love for a very old friend.

As Earth Day draws closer and closer, this chant has been on my heart and in my mind... It's an amazing one by the Hopi Indians (of which Libana on their "A Circle is Cast" album did absolute justice to.):

The Earth is our mother, we must take care of her
The Earth is our mother, we must take care of her.

Hey yana, ho yana, hey yan yan,
Hey yana, ho yana, hey yan yan.

Her sacred ground we walk upon, with every step we take
Her sacred ground we walk upon, with every step we take.

Hey yana, ho yana, hey yan yan,
Hey yana, ho yana, hey yan yan.

The Sky is our father, we must take care of him
The Sky is our father, we must take care of him

Hey yana, ho yana, hey yan yan,
Hey yana, ho yana, hey yan yan.

The Rivers are our sisters, we must take care of them
The Rivers are our sisters, we must take care of them.

Hey yana, ho yana, hey yan yan,
Hey yana, ho yana, hey yan yan.

The Trees are our brothers, we must take care of them
The Trees are our brothers, we must take care of them.

Hey yana, ho yana, hey yan yan,
Hey yana, ho yana, hey yan yan.

"I believe that there is a mysterious and graceful and miraculous Coherence stitched through this world.
I believe that this life is an extraordinary gift, a blink of bright light...
I believe that the fingerprints of the Maker are everywhere: children, hawks, water.
I believe that even sadness and tragedy ... are part of that Mind we cannot comprehend but only thank, a Mind especially to be thanked, oddly, when it is most inscrutable.
I believe that children are hilarious and brilliant mammals.
I believe that everything is a prayer."

~from Leaping: Revelations and Epiphanies

- I have a well-worn book of Yeats poetry in my purse. Everyday I read one or two of the poems... I've read the book countless times at this point, and yet every single day, one line or one word or even the entire poem moves me. How could I not have seen it before?

- There is a quote: "When you keep busy praising God, you don't have time to die." It made me so happy...

- Chocolate and love sustain us. Faith makes all things better. A world without rain storms isn't worth living in.

- Have you ever noticed the complete lack of guilt in a cat's eyes? I want that.

- I have found the fetters to my wings. And I've undone them.