One look at this tiny fist, and your heart smiles. The dimples substituted for knuckles, the chubby wrist separated into two parts, and the blanket this sweet little being is all-but fastened to.

I know this baby. You do, too. He dwells within the central core of our soul. He is what we all once were. He doesn't yet speak, but he is our teacher. He is the essence of wisdom, joy, and understanding.

This little one clings to no ordinary blanket; this is actually his momma's shirt. His mother is at work and granny has come to play. But suddenly he is inconsolable. Unsuccessfully she is trying to soothe him; he is fed, his diaper is clean, yet his crying continues. This baby is missing the sweet soul who provides his nutritional and emotional nourishment. When offered an article of his mom's recently worn clothing, he immediately calms.

I wonder, who you turn to when your soul seeks soothing, and you can't find your lodestar? How do you know when your spirit is ungrounded? Are you like a poorly rooted tree that sways perilously in savage storms? Are you thrown about like an empty plastic bag at the mercy of the blowing breeze? What happens when all movement ceases? Do you land, or do you crash?

Sometimes the answers lie closer than we know. They are within our spirit and have been there all along. This innocent little baby instinctively knows he needs his momma's comforting. He allows his sense of smell to lead him to her scent. With every part of his being, he grabs her shirt. His fist is full, just like his heart.

But sometimes life's circumstances leave us empty. What do you seek when you need heart-hugs? Do you embrace where you are now with weakened fingers or your entire fist? Are you clinging to the unsteady, swaying branches, or do you entirely envelop the sturdy, age-old wisdom and centeredness the tree trunk provides?

Sometimes we lose our hold from all that seemed so solid. When you toss and tumble at nature's mercy, do you succumb as your soul splinters and shatters? Or do you dare to dance to relieve the pain from opening your heart to ground your soul? Are you the empty plastic bag held prisoner by the force that crashes you to a halt? Or do you welcome the wind that leads you to land at the tree that weathers every season with a gentle grace? What about when you land; will you run, or will you stay? Do you wander aimlessly, or will you realize that you landed where you were meant to be?

There are so many questions with answers that already dwell within your being. The comfort this baby boy sought was so close at hand. Finding what nourishes your soul will clear the path that leads you home. What a sweet place to be.