Morning Walks

I had to run Wes into town at 8 yesterday morning and decided to bring my dog along and walk in town. The morning was cloudy and dreary, another in a long line of cloudy and dreary days this month.

Mattie and I took the bike path, and were virtually alone. I decided to walk longer than usual and went out two miles before turning back. As I walked a great blue heron glided through the air over the creek. There weren't many geese present this morning, but there was virtually no wind and the water was still and reflective.

As I neared the end of the second mile the song of a cardinal filled the air. I realized that although the sky had not changed, my perspective had. The day seemed beautiful and full of promise.

This morning I woke before sunrise and decided to go again, but here at home instead of in town. The sun wasn't up yet when I left so I headed south instead of my usual westward route, so that I could watch it rise. It was silent. No wind. No cars.

There was a light haze, especially visible near the horizon, so when the sun finally appeared it was a tiny red slash through the blue-gray cover. It always surprises me how fast the sun clears the horizon. The rest of the day it seems to move so slowly, but at the horizon if you look away you'll miss it.

Almost as soon as the sun was fully visible a meadowlark began it's morning songs. A red hawk lifted off from an electrical pole. Blackbirds and more meadowlarks joined in until it was hard to hear individual birds in the chorus.

A coyote couple ran from a freshly green wheat field into the milo stubble on the other side of the road. Fortunately I was the only one who saw them, and my dogs remained calm and ignorant of the chase they missed.

I decided to walk four miles again today, so it took around an hour. The world continued to brighten and the haze took on the sunlight adding a softer brighter ambiance to everything.

This has been a week of being more aware of my need for time spent in prayer. I think I probably always could benefit from having the attitudes that come from a conscious alignment with truth. Sometimes I lose sight of that. This week there has been enough unfamiliar settings where my reactions needed to be wise, that I've sought out that connection with God more intensely. As I walked this morning I caught myself thinking, "I should be praying. I'll need to have prayed later today." That thought was answered with the realization that the walk was in essence a prayer. I''ll find time later to pray specifically for needs I am aware of, but the time spent noticing the goodness of the world around me changed my perspective. It went from a heaviness to a sense that not so much is dependent on me. Things will be OK. Life will not end If I'm not able to figure everything out.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Thanks for sharing about walks and prayer. It spoke to me. --Alyce

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