When I met my husband fifty years ago, we were on a school-sponsored backpacking trip in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. We were divided into groups, and each group was given a poorly Xeroxed copy of a map, compass, and machete to whack through brush and forge our paths, hopefully we reached the same destination from different locations.
Our backpacking experience illustrates Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote, "Do not go where the path may lead go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." We went up, over, and around a mountain forging our path, and I can't say if our trail was left behind for someone else.
We have been married long enough to realize the risks we've taken, traveling on paths we forged, which were unconventional choices based on our upbringing.
Sometimes, a well-worn path would have been nice, even a deer path would have been appreciated. But for us, forging our own paths meant we had no idea where we were going and most of the time, we did not have a plan. Along the journey, we met people who came along at the right time and enriched our lives.
Now, we walk on designated paths we have not hiked before; there is still the unknown. Does the incline make it hard to breath, or burn our aging legs? Is there really going to be a lookout point with a view? Psalm 119:105 "Your word is lamp to my feet and a light for my path," is trusting if the end of the path isn't what you thought, or you took the wrong turn, it is still an adventure.
Sometimes, I find myself looking downward to avoid rocks or other obstacles, I miss green moss and lichen. I forget to look through the leaves that remind me of intricately stitched cut-work embroidery framing a blue sky. I awaken my senses to the entangled roots of fallen oaks, wind blowing, and deep breaths.
We laugh at the "easy" signs marked along the trail (especially if it's a cross-county trail in winter). It is only easy if it is completely flat!
Our older age and wisdom has taught us to trust in the journey, a few recent paths turned out to be serendipity, when we had no clue what lay ahead.
Even now, I find myself navigating metaphorical paths that feel steep and rocky, leading to destinations unknown. The information I receive can be as difficult to decipher as a poorly Xeroxed map. Yet, experience has taught me that there is a unique beauty in these challenges. They are not obstacles, but opportunities to grow and learn, to discover the unexpected.
Each of us is on a unique journey, forging our own paths through life. I invite you to share your experiences and insights in the comments below. Your journey is just as important and valuable as mine, and I look forward to hearing from you.
