| I went for a glorious walk in the woods near my | | | | than my own backyard. |
| house today. Interestingly, I have lived in this | | | | I told Deborah I would probably only go in the |
| neighborhood for over 20 years, but it was just a | | | | woods when we were walking together, as I still |
| few months ago that I discovered this fabulous | | | | felt unsure about where the different trails led. |
| treasure right outside my door. | | | | But it wasn't long before the woods called me, |
| I've always enjoyed the paved walking trails that | | | | and I took a trail walk on my own. |
| crisscross through my neighborhood's greenbelt. | | | | Now I go on walks through the woods frequently. |
| Often I saw mountain bikers emerging from the | | | | Once I got a taste of how nice it was, I was |
| woods, and I wondered about the trails back | | | | willing to risk getting lost (which I never have) for |
| there. But since I didn't know where the trails led, | | | | the joy of being in the peace and quiet of nature. |
| I never went into those woods. After all, I might | | | | To think, those lovely wooded trails were waiting |
| get lost. A mountain biker might run me over. It | | | | for me all those years, just a stone's throw from |
| might not be safe. So I stuck to the paved trails | | | | my house. Although I knew the trails were there, |
| and thoroughly enjoyed myself. | | | | I didn't think they applied to me or appealed to |
| But a few months ago my friend Deborah, who I | | | | me. But I was wrong. |
| walk with most every week, suggested we go | | | | It's good to be content with what you have, but |
| on one of the off-road trails. She and her husband | | | | each of us is destined for more. For twenty |
| had spent many hours exploring those trails, so | | | | years I thoroughly enjoyed walking on the paved |
| she felt confident she could get us out alive. So | | | | trails in my neighborhood, but it's been a huge |
| we plunged into the woods and I discovered what | | | | bonus to discover the miles of undiscovered |
| I had been missing all those years. To my | | | | off-road trails as well. |
| surprise, I found 16 miles of cleared trails winding | | | | What unrecognized blessings are "hiding" in plain |
| through dense woods, past occasional creeks and | | | | sight in your life? What talents are lying dormant |
| small waterfalls. | | | | in you? Take a look around and see where you |
| I loved it! I enjoyed walking on the varied terrain, | | | | might be selling yourself short in life. Step up to |
| watching out for rocks and tree roots, climbing up | | | | the plate, take a risk, and you just might find a |
| and down small inclines. It felt like an adventure, | | | | new level of peace and happiness beyond your |
| like I had traveled to a distant state park rather | | | | wildest dreams. |