To say we have all been under some stress since Andy's diagnosis of cancer is an understatement. (For those of you who may not know, he is my son-in-law and the father of Iris and Elsa who are so often on these posts. He is of strong and positive attitude, and if you wish to know more go to Possum in the Compost blog.)
Yesterday Freddie and I decided to take a hike on the Reserve, the first we have done in a long time.
We entered off the highway and traversed down, rather alongside, a steep and slippery hillside for quite some ways...
until we reached the Kickapoo River. We were graced with the sun for the entirety of the hike, and that made it all the more beautiful.
At this point in our hike we heard voices from above, and as odd as it is on 8500 acres of land, Freddie's brother, nephew and grandnephew had also hiked to this point, unbeknownst to us.
We proceeded to climb up the hillside and visited with them for awhile.
A totally untouched photo of the river...it was stunning.
...snow covered rocks...
...and the beauty of the roots...
No matter the level of stress or worry, stepping out in nature has a way of righting one's inner turmoil.
A poem I recently wrote inspired by Ranier Maria Rilke:
Leave wariness behind
entering the vast expanse
set before us…
Step into the wild
with all yourself open
and quiet,
move softly
and the silence will come to you,
and with it an astonishing
calm and beauty.
Nature is not a miser
and offers her wealth
to anyone who steps forth
in wonder.
