From “Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life” by Henri Nouwen with Michael J. Christensen and Rebecca J. Laird
It is remarkable to see how prayer and contemplation open your eyes to nature, and how nature makes you more attentive to divine guidance. I once saw contemplation as something done best in the quiet of a monastery or behind a closed door. Now I know that nature can be a contemplative companion. Instead of trying to control and manipulate the circumstances of your life and the world around you, you become more receptive to God in the world. You no longer ignore or grab nature as if it were a thing to dominate or own, but rather caress it; you no longer examine but admire it. In return, nature reveals itself transformed and renewed – no longer an impediment to prayer but a means of discernment; instead of an invulnerable shield, a veil permitting a preview of unknown horizons.
Letting nature speak opens up new aspects of discerning the divine presence in what we so dimly see. What say the trees and stars? Sometimes we need to take a long walk through a forest, whether it be decorated with new growth and bright colors or in simple shades of gray, and ask God to reveal something of his ways, will, and character.