In spite of
visiting often, I am learning that the trail, much like us, is constantly changing,
evolving through the changing seasons, growing and dying and never appearing quite
the same way twice.
I have also
learned that these local and easy to get to destinations can contain within them those same unique experiences and surprise glimpses of wildlife as what we would expect to see in a far more remote area. The lesson here is that a visit to a trail that is close to home can often be as rewarding as one that takes hours of driving and months of preplanning to get to.
There is
room for wonder everywhere as long as you are prepared to open yourself to the
opportunity. The changing of the seasons that we experience in our climate play
a significant role in this and the sights, sounds and smells on the trail can
vary dramatically week to week and based on changes in the weather, even day to
day.
I
particularly like to explore immediately after a rain or during a light
snowfall. I also find that an early morning hike provides a vastly different feast
for your senses than one enjoyed at dusk.
Even a
familiar trail approached from an unfamiliar direction makes the experience
seem fresh and new.
The Greek philosopher Heraclitus said “No
man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's
not the same man.”
I believe that this philosophy applies equally to the trail. Because as
long as I’ve opened myself to be aware, it’s not the same. To the uninitiated it
may appear to be the same trail but it’s still different: different light,
different feel, different colors, different sounds, different smells and ultimately
a different experience.
I can sense that since my last visit, it has changed, and so have I.
