Running from Safety...An Adventure of the Spirit ~Richard Bach

Chew on that for a moment...though not food related, today's thought is about trying something new. I was inspired by my little bro to trek out on a trail run for the first time. Fortunately, a mile or so down the road there is a forest, the Elfin Forest Reserve has miles of trails for me to explore. Now...I found myself excited at the prospect of this little side bar because since moving to San Diego I have found myself mostly enjoying the ocean. Well, it took me less than a quarter of a mile to splash through a creek and consider each and every noise a rattlesnake with his buddy the mountain lion just behind! What is up with that?

Finding a spot to contemplate, I finally was able to still the racket in my head. Where did this invisible fear come from? I have hiked miles through trails in the past. Just because I was alone and this was new territory...hmmmm a metaphor for life, a reflection for later. Please note, I did call a girlfriend 500 miles away to tell her that if she didn't hear from me later that day, well, I was somewhere in the Elfin Forest. Since I haven't seen any headlines in the news like...MOTHER FOUND RAVAGED BY SNAKES, LIONS AND POISION OAK AT LOCAL TRAIL, CHILD LEFT AT SCHOOL FEELING ABANDONED...I felt compelled to proceed.

It was wonderful. Fresh, open, free, different. So why do we place those fears and restrictions on ourselves? Many of them are not tangible. What excuses do we use to retreat rather than rejoice. This is a great place to start as it relates to real. You have to want to go for it and be open to new things. ~j