Eons ago, when my lack of good health was not a preoccupation, I used to love to hike. Even in young adulthood, I had a bad left hip, but, since it hurt whether I engaged in boundless activity or not, I simply decided it was far better to hurt after doing something fruitful!
When I lived in Hot Springs, Arkansas, I often set out on an early weekend morning for one of the various mountains that encircle the downtown (e.g., Hot Springs Mt., North Mt., West Mt., etc.). As the city and its mountains are part of the National Park Service, there are trails galore that snake through the hills. Many of these trails have been graveled or cemented to make for easy access.
I would usually start my trek utilizing one of the marked trails, but I wouldn't stay on it for long! Within a short distance, I would veer off and walk up or down through the forests without rhyme or reason. I figured that following a trail was merely walking in the footsteps of countless people before me. I wanted a more personal experience, so I made my own trails.
In the end, I usually disembarked from my excursions at a well-traveled destination -- like the parking lot where I left my car or a downtown street where I could visit some of the shops. But the joy for me was arriving at the typical destinations through an atypical route -- the route of me.
As I was thinking about my forested sojourns this morning, I realized that it's a good theme for much of life. Too often, we each follow the herd, placing our steps carefully in steps taken by others before us. It's like too many of us are scared of the idea of blazing our own path.
If your destination is God, heaven, nirvana, Tao or something else, you can easily reach it of your own accord. You don't need to follow someone's recipe nor follow guidebooks handed down generation after generation. In fact, if you become so intent on retracing other people's journeys, you will miss out on the utter beauty of the trip itself! You'll be so concerned that you don't miss a turn that you will fail to stop to smell the roses.
So, get off the beaten path and make your own.
When I lived in Hot Springs, Arkansas, I often set out on an early weekend morning for one of the various mountains that encircle the downtown (e.g., Hot Springs Mt., North Mt., West Mt., etc.). As the city and its mountains are part of the National Park Service, there are trails galore that snake through the hills. Many of these trails have been graveled or cemented to make for easy access.
I would usually start my trek utilizing one of the marked trails, but I wouldn't stay on it for long! Within a short distance, I would veer off and walk up or down through the forests without rhyme or reason. I figured that following a trail was merely walking in the footsteps of countless people before me. I wanted a more personal experience, so I made my own trails.
In the end, I usually disembarked from my excursions at a well-traveled destination -- like the parking lot where I left my car or a downtown street where I could visit some of the shops. But the joy for me was arriving at the typical destinations through an atypical route -- the route of me.
As I was thinking about my forested sojourns this morning, I realized that it's a good theme for much of life. Too often, we each follow the herd, placing our steps carefully in steps taken by others before us. It's like too many of us are scared of the idea of blazing our own path.
If your destination is God, heaven, nirvana, Tao or something else, you can easily reach it of your own accord. You don't need to follow someone's recipe nor follow guidebooks handed down generation after generation. In fact, if you become so intent on retracing other people's journeys, you will miss out on the utter beauty of the trip itself! You'll be so concerned that you don't miss a turn that you will fail to stop to smell the roses.
So, get off the beaten path and make your own.
I love, love, love this post.
ReplyDeleteI follow my own path, as do my kids - and at times we meet, cross over and it is wonderful - having no need to redirect each other - I, at times, as a Mom have cautioned of the danger that lies ahead if they stay on their chosen path - I have thrown up road blocks and signs of another route - ah, but to no avail - this is a hard lesson for me - waiting for them to emerge again, crossing their path with mine, unharmed.
Love Gail
peace.....
It's often hard not to want to redirect others, particularly when we can see dangerous obstacles up ahead of them.
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