"Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon," John 10:23.

This verse came to my mind as I walked along this path, sheltered by the branches, nurtured by the beauty of this natural sanctuary. Moments like these sustain me in my urban journey to be contemplative and generative in life and mission. I strolled gently, breathing in the nourishing air, purified by these gifts of God to us city dwellers. Here one's mind becomes clearer and heart feels lighter in the cool shade of old trees.

I paused to sit on an old rock fence to rest and allow the grace of creation to remind me of the beauty all around me. As I sat there two squirrels came racing across the street, oblivious to me sitting in stillness. One of them stopped short when she became aware of me. She had that look of momentary fear, tail twitching, eyes popping out of her head, muscles tense, ready to flee. I mouthed a few clicks and her head cocked sideways in confusion as she tried to figure out what I was saying. She didn't understand me, I couldn't quite communicate, "Hello, can I play tag too?"

Instead, she bounded off and up the tree, leaving me to my prayers, simple supplications to become more present in each sacred moment.