Keeping life in perspective

After the last joyride, I was excited to plan my next adventure. While Portland is noted for its extensive park system, Washington County boasts its own fabulous green spaces and trails. I settled on Rood Bridge Park, one of the largest, where I once visited years ago with extra time to spare between scheduled visits for two nearby customers. I mapped out a familiar route to get there and a longer route home, making certain to get enough pedaling mileage.

Once upon a time about a decade ago, biking 7 miles round trip to the library and back was cause for celebration. Nowadays if I don't bike at least 20 miles in a day, I have too much pent up energy to fall asleep at night. Between walking dogs and biking between customers, I am (or rather was) physically active 6-10 hours on any given day. My work leaves (or rather left) me happy, fulfilled, hungry, and exhausted by the end of the day, and always made for interesting exchanges at routine doctor check ups when asked if I exercise at least 20 minutes a day, three times a week.

😂😂😂

Once past the eerily deserted, caution-taped playground, Rood Bridge looked the same as I remembered. As much as I am worried about loss of income and sad about missing my canine and cat customers, I was delighted to have unlimited time to meander this segment of Rock Creek Trail, walking my bike through most of the woodsy areas, over protruding tree roots. The trees, as always, brought me solace. They stand firmly grounded while swaying with the breeze, inspiring me to do the same during these times of profound change.

The stillness of the pond, aside from oscillating ripples of raindrops and trailing streams behind swimming ducks, was also a source of peace and comfort, a reminder of being one with the earth, part of the great circle of life.

The beauty of nature around me or perhaps of me being contained within nature, reminded me to keep worry in proper perspective - in balance with gratitude for cherished memories, with hope for more joyful times ahead, and with acceptance and reverence for the here and now, taking each day is it comes. And so, with those inspired insights and serenity in my heart, I put foot to pedal and made my way home, renewed and ready to tackle the more mundane tasks of everyday life