The October sky was crisp and blue. The canopy of green leaves that envelopes our peaceful sanctuary fed left-over rain drops to the forest floor. The path of leaves was soft and silent under my feet. A sloping carpet of bright green moss caught the morning sunlight at such an angle that it presented a spectacular and vibrant show.
Autumn in North Carolina brings an incredibly unexpected palette of wildflower color, and each tiny flower face soaks up any bit of warmth it can get on these cool days, reaching for the heavens and turning its smiling face toward the sun. I stop, reach for the heavens, close my eyes, and turn my face toward the sun, doing my best to clear my busy mind of any thought….enjoying the moment, the sunshine, the freedom of this place. The sun acknowledges my gesture, and gracefully grants the gifts that I seek.
My body warms from the sunshine, and from the walking. My joints begin to move more freely. While I am here, the chrysalis which my body has become accustomed to carrying around becomes pliant, giving-in to an overwhelming sense of wholeness. This emergence carries into the rest of my day, allowing me to more fully appreciate the moments that make up my day, the moments that make up my life. With each hike, my chrysalis seems a bit more forgiving. I know that one day soon, it will be removed completely.
Gratitude and happiness. There are few emotions I can pinpoint more precisely when I’m hiking…and there are few places that so freely allow my unconditional acceptance of this peace. I often think of Forrest Gump when I’m out walking. Forrest started running, and it felt so good, that he just kept going. When I’m in community with nature, it feels so good that I really don’t want to stop.
Annie is, of-course, part of this community. Bounding through the fields of wildflowers and stopping to drink from the clear streams, she forges ahead, reporting back that all is well. Her congruence with my sense of propulsion draws me deeper into the forests, further into the tall grasses, and fields of wildflowers. We are moving, healing, and growing. We are both happy girls when we’re in the woods. Annie’s happiness is evidenced by her big-old happydog tongue in her picture. Mine, by the energy I have to pour into new projects, like writing.
Thanks for reading. I hope you have an opportunity soon to spend some time on a crisp autumn day with the sunshine, the wildflowers, and maybe a four-legged friend who’ll show you the way, letting you know that all is well.
Jane
Find places to hike with your dog at http://www.hikewithyourdog.com/index.html
If you have a good resource for places to take dogs off-leash, please share with the rest of us.