Thunderstorms

Yesterday afternoon,
I got an email from the Hike Ohio Meetup group I belong to.

It was a reminder of the hike today at Battelle Darby Park.

I had yet to RSVP and it was reminding me.

Knowing I had child care for Saturday,
I clicked "Yes" and decided in a moment to attend.

The four mile hike was just what I was looking for to leave the week behind.

To soak up the solitude that I can only find outdoors.

This morning I could smell the rain on the wind.
I could feel the moisture in the air.
I decided to trek across town anyway.

By lunch,
it was raining....
actually storming...
but,
my resolve was set.

With a last minute email saying the leader would be there "just in case",
I headed out.

Characteristically,
map quest and I didn't get along.
Add in that I wasn't sure which park entrance to use.
(feel free to sigh and shake your head here
all you non directionally challenged friends...
I really don't mind.)
I ended up almost fifteen minutes late.
As I entered the area,
I saw several vehicles leaving and I figured
that I had probably just missed my hiking buddies.

I was correct.
There was no "Hike Ohio" sign,
no friendly faces waiting.

Thinking about this as I rounded the parking circle,
I pulled into a parking spot and stopped my car.

With a sigh,
a chuckle,
and an acknowledgement to myself of how crazy it was...

I decided to hike anyway.
In the downpour...
all by myself...

I saw a heron fly as I dallied by the water's edge.
I saw a thistle blooming with a delicate purple hue.
I became increasingly wetter.

I marveled at the way Virgina creeper and poison ivy can take over a tree trunk...
and I decided that I would definitely carve my name on a tree someday.

It is just something I want to do...
even if I do it...
all by myself.

While I freely admit that hiking solo is not an amazingly brilliant idea...
I had a talk with God while I was walking and beseeched him to have pity on me...
to get me back safely from my hike... even if it was a silly thing to do...

I am back home typing,
wrapped in my robe,
drying out.

Feeling the peace and silence of the forest,
still wrapping me in calm.

I am thankful for the time today,
to relax,
to step away from the world,
to set the issues of my life down for a while...

I pray that you and I...

That we will find happiness in the blessings around us.
My heart is filled with gratitude for the drenching rain that soothed me today.
I pray that you are given what you need as well...
even if you'd prefer your "peace" delivered in a drier method!