In today’s Tend To Yourself Thursday, let’s take a moment to receive the wisdom of Wendell Berry’s poem, “The Peace of Wild Things.” When we get caught in cycles of overthinking, fearing the unknown, and trying to control outcomes, we are lead to exhaustion and disconnection. But, in this piece, we find a profound reflection on the struggle of worry and anxiety, and a comforting reminder of the peace and solace found in nature.

The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry

When despair grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Reading the title alone is enough for me to embody the wisdom of trusting life in all its experiences both beautiful and disruptive, recognizing that we are a part of a larger system of nature. What may be poignant today, when society’s larger systems reveal reasons to distrust, I look to even larger systems, nature, the Universe, for solace.

Berry’s poem invites us to step away from the mental noise and find refuge in the simplicity and organic processes of the natural world. It’s a reminder that we can seek moments of stillness and grace, allowing ourselves to be free from the burdens of constant worry, stress, frustration, and grief.

I invite you to get your journal out, or bring it to your meditation cushion and reflect:

• How do I find solace in my life?
• What helps me to trust the process of my struggle even if it means encountering discomfort?

Remember, my message to you is never to dismiss or judge our challenging emotional states like worry, fear, anxiety, depression, or grief, but rather to embrace them as valid and beautiful parts of life and relationships while finding ways to cope because when we accept and embrace these parts, they naturally transform.

If you’d like support on your own journey of healing and self-discovery, please feel free to reach out. My team of skillful clinicians and I are here to support you every step of the way.

With care and warmth,
Elana