Carrie Newcomer

I deeply enjoyed my conversation with Bishal Karna on the "The Spiritual Context Podcast". I hope you'll join us for this wonderful conversation!

The Spiritual Context Podcast w/ Bishal Karna 3 likes, 1 comment. "What is Mine to Do? This Beautiful, Bewildering Life | Carrie Newcomer"

Thoughts About Embracing What is Soft - Even in Very Hard Times.
Lately I’ve been softening toward squirrels.

I spent extra time this winter watching the birds at my backyard feeder. The feeders are set just outside my kitchen window where I can see them easily from my favorite reading chair. As many people who have bird feeders, the joy of providing birds a varied and consistant source of food is offset by an ongoing adversarial relationship with the squirrels. These amazing creatures come up with endlessly clever ways to partake of the bounty. They seemingly fly through the air, leap from branches, find ways to outsmart any “squirrel proof” feeder. I have a soft place in my heart for all creatures great and small, except maybe ticks — one of nature’s more sketchy ideas in a multitude of good ones—and so it surprises my daughter to hear me occasionally look out the window and call out “Sh*thead squirrels”. Anyway, my most recent baffling device has baffled them for the moment. But I am soft hearted by nature, and so I continue to put a few seeds and nuts for the birds (but really the squirrels) on the window ledge right next to my reading chair—which allows the six or seven regulars squirrels to continue to believe in their, infinitely clever minds, that they still have one up on me.

And so because the squirrels have been pretty much lounging on the window ledge snacking on nuts and seeds, I’ve been able to watch them quite closely. I have become touched by the softness of these creatures. The way the light shines through their almost translucent ears, the delicate markings around their eyes, the multi coloration of their fur, the soft and impossible flexibility of their tails.

So I’ve softened a little to the squirrels, seeing them so close up has shifted my perspective. Which is something that can happen when I let go of what I think I see... and look a little more closely at what is actually there.

So I’m posting a squirrel photo :-)

I know there are a lot of hard things happening in the world right now my friends. I am deeply aware of what is heavy upon my heart in my personal and community life. And so in April, one of the softer months of the year, I’ll continue to stay in touch with what lightens and softens my life— like love, like wonder, like seeing squirrel ears in a new way, like the joy that sustains us.

(Note: at the time of this posting the squirrels have figured away around my latest baffling device and so the quest continues.)

Hi folks, I’m excited to announce we’ve added one more show to our spring schedule. We’ll be performing a concert in Sandusky, OH at The First Presbyterian Church of Sandusky on Saturday, May 23rd at 7:00 pm. For more info and tickets, visit my website tour page www.carrienewcomer.com/tour