And the trees were clapping

For Jack

I often begin my day by hand watering the garden. I’ve never had a sprinkler system. I know it would be less work but I sort of like staying in touch with my plants and giving extra water to those who need it most.

As I stood watering, Jack walks up with the ever faithful Sadie. “I bet the trees are clapping,” he said. “What a lovely thought,” I responded and then he said, “It’s from the Bible.”

I looked at him skeptically. but he looked so smug I decided he was probably right. And right he is. The passage is from Isiah 55 and reads:

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

What an absolutely beautiful verse and one which describes exactly how I feel these days as I walk through my garden, or on a trail or a path or a park. I don’t know that we’ve ever had a more beautiful spring.

The weather has been warm enough to bring all our spring glories into bloom but cool enough to keep things from fizzling out too quickly. My back yard is a carpet of blues – violets, phlox, Scilla, grape hyacinth, Virginia bluebells, forget me nots, pansies and thrift. With yellow accents of English primrose and green and gold, it is a wonder to behold.

Behind all that, the azaleas are in full bloom in every imaginable shade of pink. It is as if my garden is truly bursting into song before me – and all the trees are clapping.

I spend a lot of my days working on conservation issues. It can be discouraging and depressing. So, it is a balm to go out in joy and to trust that I will be led forth in peace. It is a reminder that nature heals – itself and us. While I will continue to fight for both social and environmental justice, I am so grateful to Jack for reminding me to stop and listen for the all the trees of the field to clap their hands. If I don’t listen, I won’t hear them. It was a joyful morning.