Sense of Place

Alright, I have to begin by being upfront: I don't really live on Lolo Pond. To be even more honest, Lolo Pond is a totally made up name for the man-made pond that sits below my mom and dad's house. (We live in Lolo--clever, eh?) My folks do, however, live just down the street from me--and being 26, I still consider their house my house (does that ever go away?). My husband and I thought "On Lolo Pond" was a clever name for a blog...like On Golden Pond...you know, with Katharine Hepburn, Henry and Jane Fonda...o.k., maybe it's a stretch. I also live about 100 yards from the Bitterroot River in Lolo, Montana. And that little pond and the mighty river that feeds it is a big part of me and my sense of place.

What I believe about becoming a part of a place is that you must listen to it deeply, know it well, visit it often, and immerse yourself in that place until you know its other inhabitants--humans, animals, trees, and rocks alike--in a way that makes it difficult to discern them from your Self. Just like you sometimes feel with a good friend, a lover, or a family member. Self, with a capital -S, because it's that Self that is Beauty, that is Nature, that is bigger than our inevitably impermanent image of our self (little -s), that is Everything. It deserves a capital letter. And also, I love to capitalize things that mean something to me, so get used to it. I realize I'm getting pretty deep pretty fast. But stick with me. I'm new to this and am anxious to find my voice.

I'm not here to preach, but I am here to share my own perspective of remaining tied of nature in a time when so many of us feel estranged from, or even fearful of, that which is wild. I hope that my experiences, on a little pond in Lolo and on adventures around my homeland, will inspire others to have their own forays into nature and touch what is Real. My yoga practice, studentship, study, and teaching, will inevitably make it's way into this blog as well (I find it deeply connected to my experiences in nature). So will my experiences working with teens as a youth worker and after school program coordinator at Hellgate High School in Missoula (I find it deeply connected to my growth). And of course, what is a good blog without good photographs or art? I will share images that inspire me. And I will challenge myself to be creative in this space and outside of it. So enjoy, check in often, and share your own experiences and thoughts. I look forward to it!

 A few of the happy inhabitants of Lolo Pond--painted turtles.