Gifts

I have come to realize that I can receive gifts while walking. This past April, Easter to be specific, for example my family took a hike in Sedona. Now the weather in Flagstaff had been less than ideal, I can’t say it had been terrible- just snowy and windy, and windy, and windy, when I was craving sun and warmth.

Well the day before Easter we had another snowstorm/ windstorm and Easter was going to be another blustery cold day in Flagstaff so we headed towards warmth. That’s the benefit of living here- we can head south towards warmth. We decided to hike in a wash/canyon that was fairly protected from the wind. My son and I had hiked this wash/canyon a couple weeks earlier and found it to be an easy and interesting hike. So off we went only to discover that this previously dry wash now had a small flowing stream. My husband decided it was still doable. So we jumped over the rocks and stream and continued our way up the wash/canyon. I am glad we did even tho it was a little more difficult. In places the water poured over boulders or over slickrock and into pools. The water flowed in a mere stream but the sound it made soothed the soul.

I felt like I had a surround-sound of a relaxation tape in real definition- the water flowing into the pools, birds singing in the canyon walls, wind blowing through the trees and the sun bathing me.

This was my gift for the day- something surprising and unexpected. If we had looked for it I am not sure we would have found it, but since we found it I am grateful.