My treasured friend and forgiving soul. So generously overflowing with spiritual guidance. Resolution awaits everyone who lifts the veil.

Even you—a loving, living body, full of natural beauty, full of God and glory, full of excitement and pleasure—face difficulties.

I love and appreciate how nature resolves and safeguards itself and earth from harm. When betrayed by man, mighty river, you strive to protect life—and all that you stand for, and all that you love. The ancient spirits work together as they have done since your birth, millions of years ago.

You may change to a form that is more narrow than a stream, and shallow as a small pond. Making it difficult to spread the results of man’s unhealthy decisions once the water is dried up.

If earth maintains a steady rain for several days, you swell, raging, eventually flooding. Contaminated water flowing backward to the sources from which it came. What a powerful lesson.

When serenity returns, it is a scene of giving and taking. Everyone belongs. Health and harmony are viewed as the birds fly above, a flock of geese walk on your bank, the paddlers, swimmers, fisherman, and people in tubes share the same area—all enjoying your magnificence, loving and caring about you and each other, all at one time.

Like your rapids, life bounces and bumps us around. You support us as we travel through—to the deeper slow-moving pool on the other side. We relax, gracefully coast for a while, and catch our breath. You remind us to take good care. Answers we seek about the meanings to life lie in your grandness, your depths, and in our dreams. Being with you is being in the most beautiful place in the world. A part of nature and the ‘wild,’ a place where we know we are home.

As we walk the path together into the New Year, 2013, please give us the strength to move forward confidently, in good health, working in rhythm with each other. I pray you will guide us all with your light, compassion, and gentle kindness.

[Lynn Guiser is a resident of Damascus, PA.]