Urbanscape Escape

As early as 3:30 in the afternoon on this 5th day of January the small herd of deer that commune along the Foundation Trail in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, are bedded down with nary a care for humans who delight in walking its hilly, winding paths. The crunch of snow offers a good grip for walking and the sound of the water winding its way along the wooded paths offers a calm stroke to the soul. It’s a quiet day for traffic, allowing one to be transported to another world. The moving stream hasn’t iced over and is a stark contrast of clarity, a precise view to the earth beneath where white powder would choose to shield it in a cold blanket. Snow covered rocks in the creek strike my spirit with something akin to a sacred memory I cannot quite grasp. I linger, feeling all of my anxieties wash away like they are caught up by the running water below and cast away to a foreign land. When much during this season is still, the movement of this flowing waterway reminds me that gentle purpose can move in tandem with that which stays frozen, at least for a time. Anchored strength and resilience coupled with the ability to honor the simple, easy ebb and flow of daily life and whatever challenges and concerns it may bring.