So(ul)journ!

Most are familiar with Robert Frost’s poem, which begins, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood…” or, in my case, two paths diverged in a yellow wood. I took my first extended walk yesterday since returning from England and, before that, our walk on the Camino. Jacki and I averaged 20 km a day. Our daughter Brittany encouraged us to continue taking long walks, perhaps once a week, to stay in shape. While I’ve been walking around our neighborhood and my list of chores has kept me moving, it was only yesterday that I decided to take a 4.25-mile (6.8 km) walk near a local water reservoir. The walk was nowhere near the distance of the Camino, but it was similar to the forest paths north of Vigo.

The route was called the Coot Peninsula Loop, maintained by the Liberty Reservoir Wildlife Cooperative Management Area.

The trail is well maintained, making it relatively easy to follow, though I only got lost twice. I missed a turn while looking down as I stepped up a steep hill, trying to avoid slipping on rocks covered with leaves. The other time, I completely misread the map on my trail app. I probably wouldn’t have gotten lost if Jacki had been with me—she often kept me straight when I lost track of the Camino markers. The walk was quiet; I only ran into a few folks. “Buen Camino” greetings were replaced with “Good morning,” but the smiles encountered along the way were just as warm.

It’s a little over two miles on the path before you stand on a peninsula surrounded by the reservoir. It’s truly a beautiful location. I sat on a tree stump and enjoyed the view: the midmorning sun dancing on the water, Canadian geese honking as they took flight, and a couple of boats with people fishing along the edges of the reservoir in the shade of trees casting shadows over them. It was an idyllic morning walk. I sat there undisturbed for a while—nobody else in that area—and it was nice to simply be present in that moment.

I thought about Frost’s poem and the diverging roads (or paths) we encounter along our life’s journey. I’d like to believe that, like Frost, I took the path less traveled when faced with challenges and choices in my life. Some of those choices were made willfully, and some begrudgingly, but looking back, I can say that I’m in a good place. I’m still at a point in life where opportunities for making decisions and choices continue to present themselves. I’m thankful for good health. Yes, my body ached after yesterday’s short walk, but for the most part, I’m ready for another day, which seems to be the trend at this stage of life. I reckon that’s all the more reason to keep moving, walking, and taking good care of my health.

I’m heading into my last month before returning from my renewal leave! This last month will be spent preparing to re-enter full-time ministry. If you have any ideas on what might be helpful during this phase, I’d appreciate your suggestions. Please feel free to comment and share.