Earth is crammed with heaven

Earth's crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God;
But only he who sees takes of his shoes...

Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Aurora Leigh

As we move toward more and more enlightenment, we become more and more aware that Mother Earth and heaven are the same: sacredness incarnate all around us and between us all.  "Us" is every piece of creation.  The mystics of every religious tradition speak of this truth.

It is not just the burning bush that was before Moses, but "every common bush" that is afire with the sacredness of its Presence.  The bush by the side of the road, the one outside your home, the one deep in the forest that has never been seen by a human eye.  As with every bush, so as with every being, human or different than human.

Respect, reverence and humility are shown when we take off our shoes. When we tread lightly through the forest, or anywhere on Mother Earth, we show respect, reverence and humility.  

​What a delightful and challenge few lines of poety from Browning.  Now, so to live.
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