In Other Woods

It was a good morning and I came home from work feeling cheerful, but the cheeriness was short lived when I let myself be drawn into the political controversy. I've been managing fairly well, at least outwardly, until today, and to make matters worse it was with someone I love more than life. Truth be told, it doesn't matter which end of the spectrum one is on if we can't be kind. I am often disgusted with both ends, and yet I am the only one responsible for my response. Frustration and self defense so often get the better of us and in the end it brings forth misery and sorrow. Oh, Lord! Help me!!!

I needed a walk this afternoon so Hannah, Idris and I headed for the village. On our way back toward home we took a different route... We went through a piece of woods I haven't visited in over 40 years. Hannah had second thoughts, but somewhat grudgingly followed her crazy mother. I am so grateful for her cranky, compliance as I have long wanted to revisit the little creek that flows through this all but forgotten place. I hadn't lugged my camera along, but in my back pocket I had my "not-so-smart" smart phone with a halfway decent camera. God smiled and blessed me with sunshine as we neared the creek deep in the woods.

What a beautiful gift.

Getting back out of the woods was a bit trickier than getting in. A housing development sits in what was once a farmer's field and the little trail along the edge of the woods is long disappeared. It's a good thing Hannah had a great sense of direction. We emerged from the trees at the neighborhood park where Idris took a forbidden trip or two down the playground slide and then we headed home.

On our way back around the block, I saw a woman struggling to get her groceries into the house. I wanted to stop and help, but this crazy virus almost had me walk on by. As I was passing her driveway, I realized I had a face mask in my pocket. I decided to put it on, take a chance, and help her. She seemed grateful and I found another neighbor who grew up here in the neighborhood and is living in her childhood home.