by Sr. Sheila Campbell MMM        Ireland       21.08.2022

Many people nowadays understand the term “rewilding”. At least it has become popular with an increase in ecological awareness and sensitivity to biodiversity. One definition of rewilding is: “conservation efforts aimed at restoring and protecting natural processes and wilderness areas. Rewilding is a form of ecological restoration with an emphasis on recreating an area’s natural uncultivated state.”

I love that phrase, ‘natural, uncultivated state’. I have been thinking of our relationship to God as being this uncultivated space where God has the freedom to roam in our hearts and lead us in paths that we had not planned. So much of our energy goes into planning our lives – when to do the shopping, the laundry, pick the kids up from school; we go from one work assignment to the next, from one meeting to the next, always on schedule, always on time (well, almost always!)

But God is calling us to a wider, wilder, more natural space where our hearts are open to the unplanned.  Here I am not in control but let my thoughts, emotions and ideas settle into the background and just be in the present moment.  Sounds easy, doesn’t it?  But not so easy with our results-driven mentality.  Sometimes it comes as a breakthrough when going through a period of illness or incapacity.  It is a gift, but not always recognised as such at first.

Have you ever looked at a wildflower patch in a garden?  Our first instinct is to say, “why haven’t they cut that back?”  It takes a new eye to see the beauty at first glance.  So today I ask for that grace – to welcome the spread of the wildflowers in my heart and to say thanks.