The Garden of Roses: Stories of Abuse and Healing: Lake Ewauna Morning Walk

Monday, January 20, 2014

Lake Ewauna Morning Walk

Healing is a Sacred Journey

Lake Ewauna Morning Walk, Klamath Falls, Oregon

by Virginia Pickles Jones

Start out at Veterans Memorial Park just before dawn on a summer morning. Pause by the shaded woods along Lake Ewauna. Watch the rising sun paint the sky watercolor shades of pink and blue through the branches of the trees.

Turn around and walk across the road to the Veterans Memorial. All veterans of any war are welcome.

The wounded and the well alike are honored by having a brick inscribed with their name.

Come sit in the middle of the memorial on a bench and meditate on the sacrifices veterans made: Suffering the wounds of war or the selfless giving of time more comfortably spent with family and friends or working for better pay.

Think of other veterans -- women, children and men -- who endured violence and sexual assault on the home front.

There are no memorials to the veterans of these wars.

When you are ready, head back to the water.

This August morning the clouds reflect on the still waters of the lake, instilling us with awe.

Awe helps us connect with the divine -- the belief in something bigger and better than ourselves, the knowledge that we are not alone.

Walk over to the dock and sit with the ducks and gulls. Animals do not judge. They do not judge us when we are angry. They do not judge our tears. They sit with us and share our silences.

They don’t offend easily when we laugh because they make us laugh.

With animals we can just be.

Then the sun sends a shining shaft across the water; illuminating a new day.

Pause for a moment and take in the colors: Azure, emerald, and taupe. Reflect on the beauty of the moment.

Even when our lives are ruled by pain from war at home or war years behind us and 6000 miles away, we can take this moment, this hour, this day to enjoy the beauty of this lake, this park, this memorial, this gull, this cloud, this sunrise………

And find the path to life....

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Finding Healing From Abuse through walking through fun events and walking in nature:

I am a survivor of child sex abuse and date rape. I struggled with depression, anxiety, and low self esteem for many years until I began working on healing. I found healing through sharing my story in an atmosphere of safety, through learning healthy problem solving and relationship skills, and through learning self calming techniques such as prayer and meditation. Before I learned to pray and meditate, I found peace through walking in nature. Walking is easier for many people than prayer and meditation. Walking moves the body forward, and where the body goes, the mind follows. Moreover, when we walk by a beautiful view such as a waterfall, a sunset or a beach, we provide ourselves with an opportunity for awe. Awe creates a natural feeling of the divine as do prayer and meditation. In addition to calming our anxiety, walking through a Farmer’s Market or similar community event can provide us an opportunity for healthy fun.

As June, the mother who walked across Oregon in 2008, to raise awareness about child abuse says, “When the hard times come, they are easier to take if we have been having fun.”

Compassionate Gathering/Healing is a Sacred Journey works to provide opportunities to share our stories in safety, opportunities to learn healthy relationship skills, opportunities to have healthy fun through walking in fun neighborhoods and community events, and opportunities for a meditative connection to the divine through walking in nature.

The Garden of Roses: Stories of Abuse and Healing