Bear Witness, Bare Heart

A woods moment

Yesterday, walking my dogs through the woods at the end of my street, we encountered a family of deer. Two crept quickly out of sight, but the third paused, meeting our gaze with a steady curiosity. I crouched on the trail, looping my finger through my girls’ collars to communicate with energy, a mind to body to body connection: Be still. Stand witness.

And they did.

For a long moment, the four of us just observed. The deer did not appear to be afraid. She stood confidently, picked her way casually through the underbrush, squatted to pee, and then returned to her statuesque boldness. Eyes bright. Ears two pointed flags like a crown. She looked to me to be inquisitive, entirely unafraid, and I marveled at how still and quiet the dogs were, their alert stares matching the doe’s.

We broke first. I stood, herded the dogs along the trail, all of us peeking over our shoulders to watch the deer watching our exit. She was still there as we left the woods, breaking from shade into sunlight.

All of us are in tune with the frequencies of the natural world, even if that connection feels weak, snipped by creature comforts. If we listen and lean in, give ourselves over to the moment - fully present in mindfulness - the peace waiting for us, forever and always, is unspeakably profound.

Penelope did bark. After a few minutes she could no longer contain her excitement, but a simple tightening of my fingers around her collar, a murmured hush into her ear, and most importantly, my energy communicating permission to be calm - to just observe, to simply be in the shared presence of this beautiful being - helped her quiet. She sat, ears pricked forward, eyes wide. And she watched.

So much life is unfurling around us as spring slowly, then rapidly, unfolds. Early daffodils and tulips, basking in the sun for days, are already starting to crumple into tired, papery shells while the violets and dandelions begin to bloom. Waves of colorful bulbs, sprays of forsythia, cheerful quince, and lilacs are all showing their faces, gazing into the waking world. Much like the deer. Bearing witness while also baring testament. Life unfolds forever forward, without a thought to our manmade cares. And we, if we allow ourselves, may do the same. Bear witness. Bare testament with our hearts.

I wish for you moments of standing still this spring, of soaking in the beauty. I wish for you to be brave enough to bare your heart. To stand steady with curiosity and gaze into whatever greets you along life’s path.

You Are Invited! Join Me for My ArtWeek Event

Defy: Words in Bloom
An evening of new work by women writers
🗓️ Wednesday, May 21, 2025 | 🕖 7–8:30 PM
📍 WANDER Berkshires, 34 Depot St, Suite 101, Pittsfield, MA

Every act of creation is an act of defiance. A willful insistence to coax ideas into fruition. A rebellious perseverance to tend intimate feelings, to cultivate desire despite an overgrowth of barriers. From this idea germinates Defy: Words in Bloom - an evening of new work by local women writers. Listeners are invited to experience poetry and creative nonfiction performed by the authors: Deirdre McKenna, maayan nuri héd, Nichole Dupont, Alÿcia Bacon, and Elizabeth Nelson. Paper flower sculptures crafted by Nelson, a visual artist and budding floriographer, will also be on view. This event is produced as part of ArtWeek Berkshires, an annual celebration of creativity.

Defy is a free event but donations and purchases of treats and beverages to support WANDER Berkshires, a beloved community gathering space, are encouraged.