Everyday INsights
By Suzie Daggett
Many Paths
Have you every had one of those moments when a cliche appeared before your very eyes to offer validation to a simple yet profound truth? This is what I observed as our family was out on a river hike. There were three of us on the hike. It was a simple easy, follow the river down stream with no destination in mind hike. The beauty of the day was highlighted by warm weather with a cool breeze, sparkling blue skies, tumbling river sounds and lots of rocks to investigate. We were lazily looking for some granite rocks for our front porch water fountain. This means that if we found a good-sized rock, it best be right beside the car for easy transportation home. Mostly we were out for the reconnection to water, air, ground, rocks, dirt, snakes, birds, lizards, trees and wild flowers. And we saw all of them, doing their own dance in their part of the river.
Watching a brilliantly colored red faced, yellow-bodied Western Tanager bird catch a Monarch butterfly in mid air for a quick lunch was a treat, something none of us had ever experienced before. Almost stepping on a water snake was a bit more awkward, making me do the girl scream thing. This bothered my teen-age son as he wondered why girls liked to scream when they were surprised. That remark alone was enough to contemplate on our hike, however, what I observed as we were heading back to the car sans rock was more interesting.
At one point, I looked up and saw my son in the middle of the river slipping, sliding and hopping along, quietly taking in the water. He is a specialist at floating sticks, big or little downstream, which takes a special talent as far as we can see! My husband was up past the shoreline in the trees looking around for that special rock. As an architect, It takes just the right size, color, shape and energy of the rock to intrigue him. I was walking on my own path at the edge of the river, entertained by this peaceful moment of life. We were all in different spots, thinking and feeling independently, letting the beauty of the area soak in to suit each of us. We were all on different paths heading to the same spot.
Thus, the cliche of how we all travel along different paths that lead to the same end. In our case, the end was the car. In other instances, the end is life after life. That place we end up in after our journey here on earth. Each culture, religion, spiritual teaching has names for the after life...the thing is, we all arrive there, but each and every journey is individual and unique. Just like our hike on the river. If we appreciate, notice and take stalk of the process in the journey, my guess is the outcome is mighty incredible. And, sometimes, just sometimes, a perfectly humble, river-sculpted rock may be right beside the car for transport home.
