Fridays are my day off, my Sabbath. To truly rest, I have discovered, I need to be intentional about finding an activity that absorbs my attention, so that my brain isn't consciously processing the regular stuff. Yesterday's activity was hiking in a redwood forest. Garland Ranch is about 30 minutes from our house, and another world altogether, at least in spots. We hiked over one ridge, leaving the noise from Carmel Valley Road behind, and walked along a beautiful creek for a spell, breathing in that wonderful wet rock smell and listening to the water. We came to a junction and went right, leaving the lushness behind and ascending a steep, scrubby hillside. Which, it turns out, was a mistake...but a few extra hundred feet of vertical never hurt anyone, right?
We backtracked and continued along the creek. We crossed it 4 times, which was kind of sporty because the footbridges are seasonal, and we are out of season at the moment. But our hiking poles gave us enough stability to safely navigate. After a time, we came into a dark canyon of towering redwoods. The quality of the air was somehow different. Heavier with oxygen, maybe? I breathed deeply and stepped softly. We had it all to ourselves.
Although we did not stop for any length of time, it was a true rest. Among the towering redwoods, we are small. Our lifespans are a flash compared with theirs. It puts everything back in perspective. Worries that can feel overwhelming somehow regain their right proportion. Which is the point of sabbath, right? To remember that we are not the creators of the universe and that we do not keep the earth spinning. To glory in the beauty of this earth, and to find our right place in it. Breathe.
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