When I seen the sign “You Are NOT Almost There” it made me laugh, and remember a time many years ago when my daughter and I eagerly embarked on a day hike 6 miles into the Grand Canyon.
Guess What?
6 miles down is a breeze……..
6 miles up at 110 degrees is NOT……. lol
In support and outreach to others………
On our challenging journey out of the Canyon (although we did not make a sign) we were sure to caution every passing hiker on the way into the canyon!
DOWN IS EASY…. but…. UP IS NOT EASY
Life is not always fun and we sometimes make choices or eagerly follow a path that turns out to take us on quite a different journey then we once expected!
Thankfully when you put Faith in a Higher Power you are NOT in this alone.
Sometimes it is more about what you are walking away from than what you are walking to.
Possibly the most important thing we find when walking away from difficult experiences is an amazing inner strength that somehow carrys our body’s through disasters when our minds are numb and our muscles simply roboticly move us forward.
Survival instinct may not always be about an amazing human strength that powers us through difficult challenges but quite possibly better explained as the intuitive Power of Divine Guidance.
I also believe in something my family likes to refer to as Divine Comic Relief. These are times within the saddest or most serious moments we are experiencing when something happens and in within the most serious of times you can’t help but laugh.
We need smiles to get us through the tearful times!
I like to believe those times as well are sent to us from God.
Recently I have been enjoying a lot of time in the woods walking on trails. There is a peacefulness in the atmosphere, the fragrances and songs of the birds keep your mind anchored in the present moment. There is nothing more calming the enjoying then truly experiencing the very moment you are in without distraction.
“We need to find God and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature, trees, flowers, grass, grow in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. We need silence to be able to touch souls”. Mother Teresa
Many years ago someone recomended a book to me called Grandma Gatewoods Walk. It is a true story about amazingly strong lady who simply read an article in National Geographic magazine about the Appalachian Trail and then just decided to thru hike it…….. she knew her family would advise her against it so she just decided to tell them she was going on a walk…… leaving out the fact that it was a two thousand and fifty mile long walk. LOL
Emma Gatewood was 67 years old when she decided to take this walk!
She eventually did have to be truthful with her family when national publications began following her to publish articles on her solo thru hike.
You can read more about her here Appalachian Trail Histories/Emma Gatewood
I have shared the audio version of this book with elderly individuals I have taken care of. Many of them found it very interesting and recognized some of the local history that was referenced as she was traveling through the local areas of the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania. I will share a link here if you are interested in possibly sharing it with others.
I pray all those struggling through difficult paths find Peaceful Moments, Silent times to be with God, and some Heaven sent smiles to keep you moving forward and finding Hope.
With Hope, Joy, Peace and Love, Carmela
Although our minds may continue trying to make us focus on human differences if we choose to stop the thoughts, concentrate on the breath and listen to the Spirit within us. Our thoughts can turn from negative “selfish thoughts” to positive “Divine inspiration”.
Carmela Snelbaker 