Where a path might lead…
By Cara Chang Mutert
For the last few weeks I’ve been dropping off my daughter at driver’s ed at 8 a.m. Since it’s just a little too far to drive back home for an hour, I’ve found myself with 2 hours to kill. So I’ve created a bit of a ritual.
First stop … caffeine. I’ve been going to Conscious Cup for a little jolt, a little journaling, a little inspirational self-help or yoga reading and a then inevitably, work. But last week, as I began to transition into my default work mode, I noticed a shift in my body. I felt my low back start to tighten.
I stopped. I deliberated. Should I check my email? Should I hit my list, run my errands and pick up TP and milk on the way? Or maybe I should blast over to Kohl’s and make sure I spend that $30 Kohl’s cash before it expires? But then my brain panned back to an entrance to a path I saw on the way to the coffee shop. Each time I drove by, my eyes were drawn to it. I decided to follow the path and take a walk instead.
What a great decision! It was a cool misty morning, edging on drizzle. The wind was blowing just consistently enough to keep the mosquitoes away, creating a constant cool freshness moving through the air. I walked along a winding gravel road which was blanketed by an opaque white mist which brought down the sky just far enough to bring my focus to the billowing bright yellow and purple wildflowers on the ground. Splashes of orange and white daisies speckled the hilly landscape and red-winged blackbirds perched atop the faded cattails. The damp morning air was sweet and thick with the smell of the dewy flowers. Nature is just so flippin’ rich and beautiful!
I looked to my right and there was a split rail fence lining a path up to a hill. As I wandered up, I felt the cold, wet grass and sandy dirt soak my flip-flopped feet. When I reached the top, there was a water view in almost every direction. In truth, it’s just a simple, but lush Midwestern quarry smack dab in the middle of an otherwise suburban cement landscape. But on this solitary misty morning, it was an unbelievably calming and peaceful pocket of nature in its own right. Absorbed by every sensation, I felt connected and grateful.
As it started to drizzle, I walked back toward a covered shelter with picnic tables. This path led to a view of yet another trail framed by trees leading down to more water. Ding! Ding! Ding! Perfect spot to meditate! I had about 20 more minutes, so I sat down on a dry spot on the picnic table, got comfy, closed my eyes and breathed in clean, coolness. With every breath, I lavished in the fresh, moist breeze against my skin and watched my thoughts come and go while I listened to the birds chirp and the gentle drizzle pat softly into the ground.
It was just one of those perfect moments in a plain old regular day. I’m just glad I was there to notice it.