Finding a Silver Lining

Time for some "social distancing" inner peace!

As we enter another week of social distancing, self-isolation, quarantine and things that we didn't anticipate for this year it may be difficult to see past the darkness. Yet, despite everything that is happening now, I remain positive that we will get through this.  It might take some time, but we will get there.

I've been lucky enough to continue working my full-time job throughout everything that has happened and while I'm not going to the office each day, I am still working on projects, ensuring that my children are keeping up with schoolwork and not becoming stuck to their electronics and keeping up with the tasks around the house.  Overall it can be exhausting.  So I decided to take the day after my birthday off to enjoy some much needed me time. 

The morning started out chilly and there was some rain, snow and wind in the forecast, but I was anxious to get out on the trails. My plan for the day was to take in Tifft Nature Preserve, Reinstein Woods, Knox Farm and Hunters creek.  I wasn't in any hurry, if I made it to all of the trails, great, but if not, I'd enjoy a day in nature.

Nature did not disappoint on this morning. After fighting the wind on the way up the mound trails at Tifft and finding the back trails underwater and closed, I followed the grass along the stream. 

I'm not alone.

As I walked down the trail, I saw a deer standing in the middle of the trail just looking at me.  I stood there watching this deer for several minutes and it didn't move.  Was I seeing things? Was this really a deer or had someone put a decoy in the path. 

Slowly, I approached the deer and still it didn't move.  As I got closer, I realized it wasn't just one deer, but now there were 4 or 5.

I kept walking, but none of the deer moved.  As I got a few feet closer, the deer did finally move, but they didn't run.  Instead they simply moved to the side of the path and continued to feed.  I was convinced they they would start running as a got closer. 

One deer seemed to be the lookout for the group, as I walked by the group (within a matter of yards) this deer would look up and make sure I was okay and then return to eating.

"I'm watching you, watching me."

I wandered the trails for a few more hours and found geese and other wildlife, but nothing impacted me as much as the deer. 

As the day went on, I did complete the four trails I set out to complete, but I noticed something. While the trails were not crowded, there was more people out that I would expect to see on a dreary Friday morning.  So I started thinking, how I'm hopeful that more people will feel a connection with nature and from those experiences will want to do more to support and save our environment.

The waters and skies around us are clearing up and there are reports in the news almost daily of people seeing things in nature that haven't been reporting in years.

While it may be dark and dreary now, the skies will open up and the sun will shine on all of us again.  When we come out on the other side, maybe we will have a better appreciation for those things we have lost over time and will fight to keep them as our new traditions moving forward.

Until next time, stay safe and enjoy all of the options that are out there.