Peter Ikeda - My Spirituality in the Wilderness

So in class we've been talking about this idea of a place being sacred and there are many different ways for it to be sacred. Some are chosen by 'God', some become sacred because of it's historic value or emotional connection, and others simply are sacred by ordinary means. Personally I find spirituality in nature all the time. I'm a Christian and so I believe in one God, a creator of the heaven and earth, and father to all life. To have this omniscient yet loving being create such a magnificent world for humankind to exist in is absolutely astonishing to me. The details and intricacies of life like photosynthesis or a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly or how microscopic things like protons and neutrons compose the building blocks that form everything. In this absolute amazement I find spirituality in wilderness. For me, all I have to do is walk outside to find God. Everything about nature, regardless of the weather or condition of it, proves God's existence and love for the world he created. Whether it be through the greenness of the trees or grass, the abundance of life, or the expansive cerulean sky, all it takes a step into nature and I'm completely in my element with God. This in and of itself may not be considered 'sacred' but for me it connects me with my Creator and Father and allows a peace of mind and calmness of my Spirit. What is especially sacred to me about nature in my relationship with Christ is the wind. As I mentioned in my poem, the wind literally empowers my spirit because it has a sacred meaning to me personally. As a kid my best friends and I used to play all sorts of make believe games and in our favorite game we each were assigned a different element. Mine, of course, was wind. It started out as a silly game but as I grew into my relationship with God wind has become a way he reminds me daily of his continual presence in my life. Honestly whenever I feel the wind I feel God's presence. Whenever I have an intense spiritual moment, whether it be by worshipping, warfaring, whatever, I feel a slight breeze around me. Sometimes this breeze is only felt by me (I've asked people around me who haven't felt it when I did) and I truly believe that this is Jesus reminding me of his role in my life: that he is ALWAYS with me and will never forsake me. So for me, nature is a way for me to connect with God but especially through the wind. I've never experience so much freedom or peace in my spirit than through the wind.