Days 3 & 4:
Austin
It is my intention to
keep a blog of our 2017 summer journey highlighting our days of pilgrimage. I
hope our children find it interesting.
There is an extensive network of trails that wind in and out
of my brother in-law and sister in-law’s house. I have taken advantage of the
length of these trails as well as the cooler albeit more humid weather to get
in some hiking miles. Yesterday as I walked along a deer appeared in front of
me. I slowly moved closer to her and snapped a picture before she leapt
off. My heart swelled with happiness as
I remembered that deer are a spiritual harbinger of gentleness and love. I felt pretty lucky and continued on my way.
A few miles later I came upon a women walking ahead of me.
She slowed down and started explaining that she often gets confused whether
it’s cicadas or katydids that sing in the daytime. We chatted and she told me a
lot about her life, and how she loves living in this area because of the trails.
I mentioned I had come upon a deer earlier in the day. To this she said, “Oh,
of course there are hundreds of them around here.” All of the sudden the
encounter my doe friend didn’t seem so magical.
Tomorrow we will head to Scotland and in about a week Rob
and I will begin our walking pilgrimage in Ireland. We will hike a portion of
the Wicklow Way, the same trail I walked 3 years ago. It will be the second
time on the walk and my 3rd time in Ireland. At what point does
something change from rare and magical to mundane and commonplace? My new
friend on my Austin walk certainly thought nothing of my mystical deer and I
wonder how much of my life I take for granted rather then to take notice and
look more deeply into the meaning of each moment or circumstance.
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