Stroll for your Soul

​Blessings.
Today we continue with our series of inspirational messages that will focus on Homes, as we take time to stroll our neighbourhoods, back yards, parks, or just sit and look out a window. This resource is adapted from, and used with permission from, The Prayer Bench (https://prayerbench.ca/). 
Our Habitat for Today :  The squirrel !
Now I (Rev. Gail) have to admit that although I like to watch squirrels play chase with each other in my garden, I am the first to get upset when they start to dig up my bulbs.  So much so, that I have tried everything from human hair, paprika, bone meal, and special ‘Squirrel Off’ that I purchased from the nursery.  Next year I will try Tricia Wetlauffer’s tip for placing a rubber snake in my garden!
But Janice, of the Prayer Bench, reminds us to focus on the playful nature of the squirrel, suggesting that we should give them a chance to earn a bit of admiration. I expect you have all seen squirrels. They are the most visible wildlife in many towns and cities. Perhaps as you have strolled or sat looking from your window or balcony, you have seen them zig-zagging along the grass or leaping from tree to tree. They are accomplished acrobats, jumping a distance of 20 feet. They can fall from a distance without hurting themselves, and effectively use their tail for balance and as a parachute.  
They are talkative. Perhaps you have heard their high-frequency chirps or watched the communicative tail movements. They have their own warning system. 
They gather nuts and bury them in soft earth. In winter they can sniff out their hoard from under a layer of snow. But sometimes they forget and little trees grow from their abandoned stash. 
Squirrels play-fight with one another and young squirrels chase each other in delight improving their strength and coordination. 
They are cheery, don't you think? Maybe a little fun to watch? 
Enjoy this little video:
Squirrels at play
Peace to your house Squirrels. May God cause all to be well with you.

Focus for Your Stroll 
“play is using our bodies, hearts, minds and spirits to explore the world around us with kindness and awe.”  - Jennie Justice 
Today is a day for practicing play. Be like a squirrel and Stroll in a zig-zag pattern. Try leaping. Vary your route and create a small adventure. Write a fun, tiny poem. Make a play page in your journal with colours and shapes. In your meetings, phone calls, emails or conversations, use the word “delight” in a sentence ten times today. Collect a treasure on your Stroll and carry it in your pocket as a touchstone for a desire for a lightness of being. Savour a handful of nuts. Do the twist!
A reminder – this Sunday 27th will be Holy Humour Sunday – so playfully find a funny hat or costume to wear as we gather in person outside.
Peace, Rev. Gail