Sunday, November 4, 2007

A Walk in the Park...


Yesterday, a warm, late, autumn day found us at the local park. This is not a city park but a park in the country. We headed to Mattea Park to do some hiking. This summer we headed to Mattea park on a day that was not humid and not too hot. We hiked in the woods and smelled the summer smells. Yesterday, we saw a rainbow of fall colors as we hiked in these same woods. I heard my youngest daughter say, "what an adventure!" We sat on the bench by the creek and watched the leaves as they floated like boats on the current. My daughters climbed a crooked Sycamore tree and dangled their feet above the ground. Under our feet we heard the crunch of the dry fallen leaves. We pointed at the nests of the squirrels high above in the canopies. Birds swooped through the trees, alerting the others that we had arrived. The dog raced ahead of us as we hiked in a single line, turning I saw his doggy smile as he looked back waiting patiently for his pack.

Later, as I turned the corner I saw my two, each with a stick in their hand, on a journey into the unknown. Their imaginations, hiking, on a marathon to nowhere. Then, the smallest of the group, map upside down in her hands, guided us through the woods. Pointing to each sign, looking for the way, we arrived back at our car.

On our way home, the car sat in silence, little eyes gazing out the window pondering the journey. Quiet smiles spread upon their lips, and all was well with their little world.

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