ON THIS MOTHER’S DAY AT THE CHURCH O’ THE PINES it is cloudy and cold. But on the other hand, it is gray and gloomy. The many mothers in our congregation do not seem to mind. As all the small and rooted members of our congregation spring back to life—bloodroot and wild ginger, trout lilies and trillium, fiddlehead ferns and wild violets and jack-in-the-pulpits—our critter congregation is lively as well.

The warblers are returning and passing through. This week we saw many bright and beautiful redstarts. The song sparrow trills from his sandy point. The swallows swoop low over the water, scooping up the early insects. And everywhere the building of nests and tending of eggs and young is going on. According to our church records, things are slow this year and we are behind schedule. But in church, we learn patience—among other things. Spring is unfolding as it should, and so is life, mostly. We listen and look and breathe and enjoy our neighbors, who are in general a neighborly bunch. We all get along. Although the fox sometimes eats some of his neighbors. And so do the eagles. And so do the snapping turtles. But…nobody’s perfect. Forgiveness abounds. Good Sabbath and Happy Mother’s Day to all!