Focus.

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography

Today I had a truly spiritual experience.  Once again my mind and soul felt the need to get out among the trees, so off I went.  My church of choice today was Mt. St. Francis, and the congregation consisted of just one ….. me!

I started at 8 am in the fog.  The temperature was hovering around freezing but for me, the air was truly refreshing.  I filled my lungs with the cool air and like always my head began to clear.  I decided today to go the opposite direction of my normal trek, having the rising sun at my back instead of in my eyes.   As I left my car and began my way toward the lake, I was quickly reminded of the temperature as I began sliding on the paved pathway due to some freezing fog.  As I was still recovering from a recent fall I decided to move off the path and walk in the grass.  The crunching under my feet from the frozen grass was not a sound I particularly cared for, but soon I was at the lake and began my hike on a previously muddy, but now frozen path.  The different perspectives, having never gone this direction reminded me that I need to constantly look at various aspects of my life and see them from a different angle.  I appreciate what I have and not get caught up in the same routine.

I made my way down the winding path, carefully stepping over roots that had an almost invisible thin layer of frozen fog on them.  I was maybe a foot from the water’s edge and today would not be a good day to take a dip, either on purpose or via a slip and fall.  I continued and reached a long bridge that crossed over a bog.  I gingerly held the rail as I crossed this 40-foot bridge, feeling my boots so wanting to go any direction other than what I intended.  I completed the trek and entered the woods on the other side of the lake.  As I entered the woods I felt the cool mist caress my face.  My first thought was about my wife and how miserable she would be, but I smiled knowing she loved the fact that I found something to clear my mind.  As I moved deeper in the woods the fog seemed to muffle what little sounds I heard.  It also did something else.  It began muffling all those stressful thoughts that run through my brain every day.

I moved across yet another bridge and up a steep hill.  At this point, I was breathing heavier and could hear my heartbeat in my head.  My breath was heavy and I was adding to the mist that already surrounded me.  As I reached the pinnacle of this hill I stopped to take a break.  My breath got lighter, and my heartbeat slowed.  Here is where I noticed many of the branches had frozen water droplets on them, and I could not pass the opportunity to take a few shots?

The next part of my journey was a bit unnerving.  As the frozen rain began to melt the raindrops fell but were more solid than water so I felt like people were walking all around me in the woods as well as behind me.  I spent the next few minutes on edge but again reminded myself why I was there, and quickly turned my uneasy feeling into one of joy.  As I reached the next ridgeline I saw a squirrel sitting directly in my path.  He casually looked at me and then scurried off into the woods.

In the distance, I began to hear water flowing in the creek.  I drew closer and closer through the fog and eventually was standing at the water’s edge.  I took a few minutes to enjoy the calming sounds and snapped a few photos before I crossed yet another wooden bridge and made my way back to the back of the property.  Today was particularly muddy and I spent a significant amount of time off the trail sidestepping large puddles as I have often done in life.  As I headed back in the direction of my car I passed a young kid who was out jogging.  We traded quick ‘good mornings’ and like that he was gone.

I finished my walk next to a large field.  Again seeing this from the venue of everything being frozen reminded me that I too have felt frozen in aspects of my life, but nature and these woods provide me the spark that thaws me out.

As music is also interwoven throughout my life I finished my hike with song lyrics floating in my head.  “Too many hassles in my local life, surviving’ the strain.  And a man without a focused life could drive him insane.” – Scarface.  As 2018 continues I want to have a focus on the things that truly matter to me.  With age comes reflection, knowledge and hopefully wisdom.  My focus in life has begun to change.  I keep things close to the vest, whether that be lifelong friends, family or passions.  The drama, politics, and worry I have no control over will no longer cause me strain.

Until next time,

Tim