Winter walk and searching for peace

                                                               Lovely winter walk

I am sitting inside watching sleet fall, dreaming of warmer days and time outdoors. Last weekend I hiked in a new place near Chattanooga TN, and I remembered how much I enjoy walking in the winter. The trail I walked on was deep in a Wildlife Management Area on the top of a tall ridge. I drove up curving switchbacks, climbing up and up, then turned down roads, each smaller than the next, until I turned down a dirt road. I followed the dirt road for some time, and finally found a parking area with a few cars and picnic tables; this was the trail head. I bundled up in my winter coat, with a heavy sweater underneath, slipped on my daypack and looked for a map. Finally I walked out into the woods, my spirits soaring. Almost all of my walks lately have been around neighborhoods or city parks. It felt good to walk on a dirt path, watching for tree roots and exposed rocks. The trail was steep and curvy, and sheltered in woods. The trees had no leaves, so I could see out, blue sky and a distant river. I came to a large rock with a crack down the middle, the trail slipped between the rock sides. I walked down with both hands out holding onto the rock.  The trail meandered to the side of the mountain ridge, and in front of me, between the trees, I could see a wide curve of the Tennessee river, with a few houses and buildings on the shore. It was cold, but in a nice fresh way, and walking warmed me up. The hike was a short but wonderful stop on the way to another location, and walking made me feel better for the rest of the drive. I never thought about putting a hike in the middle of a drive before. It did slow the trip down. What normally takes 4 hours took all day, but part of that all day was walking in woods so I call that a win. 

The monks are still walking for peace, and our country finds that peace still eludes us. Violence against protesters, violence against immigrants, and the monks walk on. Everywhere the monks walk people line the streets, follow along, hand out flowers and gifts, and simply wave with hope. We as a people want peace, we want love and unity. Why as a country can we not achieve this goal. Maybe too many people are dreaming of power, dreaming of control. Peace doesn’t come from power or control. Peace comes from within. It comes from a choice, and search and a journey within our soul. I wish I knew more, understood more, and could find and share that peace with others. If my life can reflect a bit of peace, and reflect it off me, like the monks but in my very small way, and if each one of us can do the same, then I think peace will show itself. Walking is a one step at a time journey, and finding and sharing peace is the same. It isn’t easy. While I am inside watching the sleet and rain, the monks are walking, continuing the journey. As my daughter tells her little boy, sometimes things are hard, and that is ok. It can be good to do hard things.  Keep walking, keep searching for peace.

I have walked 18.58 miles these weeks, and now am on mile 522 of the AT.  This puts me at  Troutdale, Virginia. I searched online and found a hikers hostel and pictures of rolling hills and trees.  I think this section of the AT is not as steep and difficult as the NC and the TN sections.