Story by Rachael McCallum
Julia Nyqyst was hiking down one of the trails at Warner Lake County Park on June 11. Just as she rounded the lake’s bend, a certain tree caught her attention. It turned out not to be one tree, but two trees that were connected at the base.
“It was good for me to see,” Nyqyst said. “Right now in my life, I’m feeling some separation with someone who’s close to me.”
She said seeing the two trees were still connected, even though they had grown apart, gave her a sense of calm and hope about that specific relationship in her life.
What led her to the park on that day was a new venture of the Franciscan Welcoming House, a ministry of the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, called “Wild Wanderings” — an event for those seeking to rekindle their faith. This event, which takes place in local county parks, invites people to step away from the noise of daily life and encounter God through meditation and immersion in nature.
“The program was created to give people an experience of being nourished spiritually, mentally and physically through nature,” said Jamie Deering, director of programs ministry for the Franciscan Sisters. “It is said that nature is our first Scripture. By nurturing extended time to simply be present in and with creation before us, we hope people will come away with a deeper sense of connection with all things.”
Alison Hendley, the event’s guide and spiritual director, said for her, nature has always been a grounding, sacred place.
“Nature has brought me so much healing. It was the one place as a kid I felt so safe,” she said.
Each event begins with a brief prayer and meditation. Hendley encourages participants to close their eyes, feel the grass under their feet and the warmth of the sunshine on their face. She then asks, “What is it God is calling to your attention?”
Participants then wander through the park for the next hour-and-a-half to contemplate and reflect.
Yvonne Paffel, who attended the June 11 wandering, said she found the peace she was searching for that evening.
Since it was her first time attending, Paffel wasn’t sure what to expect. She said she thought more activities would be involved but was surprised to find the entire evening was mostly self-led. Instead of being disappointed by the lack of activities, Paffel was grateful for the opportunity to sit in silence and listen for God’s voice.
“I think I was just called to rest,” she later concluded.
Both Paffel and Nyqyst encountered God in very real and personal ways that evening. They encourage others to step outside their comfort zones and consider attending future Wild Wandering events, as doing so provides the perfect chance to slow down.
“Our greatest hope is that people will experience a stillness within invited by the steady beat of nature’s heart,” Deering added. “We hope taking this time to center down and open to the greater presence of creation will leave people feeling rested and more grounded as they return to their lives. We hope this practice of quieting to listen into nature might weave its way into other moments of the day and provide touch points of ease throughout life.
Learn More
Two more Wild Wanderings are scheduled: Aug. 13 at Rockville County Park from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and Sept. 10 at Rockville County Park from 5:30-7:30 p.m.