To Hear the Forest Sing

To Hear the Forest Sing

 

In the recent release of Margaret Dulany’s book, To Hear the Forest Sing is a unique presentation of the author’s thoughts and ideas based off her daily walks and interactions with nature.

From the book:

“The writer Joan Grant believed that every human being was both teacher and pupil, and that at any moment we are both instructing someone and learning from someone else, with one always behind and one ahead. Humanity, she said, was moving forward en masse into enlightenment. But, she warned, the instant any single member of this interdependent progression stopped learning, he would in turn lose his ability to teach. This refusal to learn would gum up the works, so to speak, and the united movement toward awakening would hesitate, would falter.

I would add that those near the same level of learning will alternate between acting as teacher and pupil for one another, shifting positions, tossing the learning ball back and forth. In this generous exchange of lesson and learning, the open, curious personality is most valuable, and the pedantic know-it-all becomes a hindrance. An arrogant temperament causes evolutionary gridlock. It does no good to honk your horn, yell out the window, because the person who has stopped learning can move neither forward nor backward. Their frozen attitude has created a maddening pile-up of stalled souls.

So it would appear that the short list of qualities most valuable for the student to cultivate would be as follows: curiosity (always the top of the list), a willingness to learn (paramount), the ability to listen, to remain still and quiet, to cooperate with the rest of the students, to be able to listen (did I mention this?) I won’t go into what it is that makes for a difficult student. I assume most of us have lived these attributes, and suffered the consequences………..”

About the Author:

Margaret Dulaney wrote for the theater in New York City for years before she moved to rural Pennsylvania to pursue nonfiction. After many years, and a closet full of writings, she founded Listen Well, her spoken word website offering once-monthly recorded essays championing hope, and the ultimate, inescapable awakening of the individual soul.

She writes from an old stone home in Bucks County Pennsylvania, where she lives with her husband, musician/producer Matt Balitsaris and a revolving group of semi-domesticated animals. She records her essays at Maggie’s Farm Recording Studio, home for many years to Palmetto Records, and conveniently located in the majestic old bank barn in her backyard. The guitar music that introduces Listen Well’s monthly offerings is played and produced by Matt Balitsaris. Her essays are edited by Aina Barten, former editor for Orion Magazine.

Margaret’s essays, apart from those on Listen Well, can be found in various journals and Magazines including, Parabola, Spirituality and Health, Cezanne’s Carrot, Read the Spirit, Day 1, Big Muddy and Contemplative Journal.

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed reading the book although her perspectives of God are quiet different than mine. The stories are interesting to read, and they do show how deeply the author cares about both people and the things around her.

One line from the book touched me.. There is a real difference between the works that were written for love, and those written because the writer fancied himself clever.

This is so true and it doesn’t take long to know the difference. I feel the author of To Hear the Forest Sing does truly love the beauty and the creation of things around her. It was interesting to read her thoughts on various topics.

Hear The Forest Sing, is now available for purchase at Amazon in both Kindle and Paperback versions.

Don’t have a Kindle? Grab one for yourself. They are so nice to use for reading. I love my Kindle Fire and my little one uses the e-Reader version (just for reading without the added games and internet options).

Make sure to follow Margaret Dulaney on  Facebook for the latest book release and announcements.