Trails

As I was watching some leaves and limbs swaying in the breeze this morning, I thought about the back-and-forth swaying my life often does. Time and again, I seem to swing around from plan to plan, promise to promise, goal to goal – happily giving myself permission to change my mind, double back, rethink things, take a new trail. One fine idea gives way to a finer one. One second I decide to take the trash out, but then, in a flash, I decide to do the dishes instead. At 9:00 I know exactly what I want to do this afternoon, but at 9:01 a different and more wonderful plan appears. Back and forth, here and there, this and that, one thing and then another. Leaves and limbs yield themselves to winds, and sometimes I also love yielding. Life shifts and sways and takes a new trail, and usually – often with a smile – I freely follow along.  

I started thinking about this yesterday while we were walking on the picturesque and diversified trails in the Canonchet Preserve, in Hopkinton, RI.

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The trails meander in a way that always makes me appreciate the meandering of my life, the strolling and zigzagging as the trails of life lead me on. Walking the beautiful and always surprising trails at Canonchet Preserve makes me love walking the trails of life in the same way, trusting and following the ‘signs’ that life constantly sets out to show me the way.

Here’s a slide show of scenes from our walk yesterday, including the walkers! …

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BEYOND RANGE
(concerning Andy H., 70, Blessings, CT)
 
One day, everything felt like it 
was far back, like he would have 
to follow far-flung trails to find 
even a single thought of his. All 
the ways of his life seemed mystifying 
and secret, especially his feelings, 
which flowed from inaccessible regions, 
and his heartbeats, which seemed 
to be sent from indescribable distances. 
On this day, he even lost what he 
thought was himself, and could find 
only a borderless land full 
of rejoicing and limitless choices, 
and it was somehow named Andy.

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And here are some very special flowers in Delycia’s garden today …

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And finally …