My alarm went off, I got up and dressed, and then headed back to the woods. It was dark as I was driving, and the sun had just barely begun to peak over the horizon when I got back to the area I was in the night before. I ended up parking farther away than I had hoped, but closer than I was planning on having to park. It wasn't a bad thing, I was alone on the trail, probably would be the only one out for at least an hour, maybe two, and I had the woods to myself. There are very few things in life I enjoy more than begin the only one on a trail really early in the morning.
I made my way along the familiar paths I've hiked countless times, and just tried to take in the serenity of early morning nature as I walked. I got back to the lake, and headed to the path that would lead me to my camp. Again, I was amazed by the serenity of the place that early in the morning. I really need to spend more early mornings in the woods.
I turned right, and took a side trail that was a more direct root to the main path I was heading towards. As I got close to the trail I looked up and saw an owl sitting on a low branch in tree about 20 feet in front of me (not sure if owls are going to be symbolic during these vision quests or not, we'll see if they play any part this year). I stopped, but it had heard me and was looking at me. I tried to get my phone out of my pocket to get a picture, but as I moved it turned to face me, spread it's wings, and took off in front of me. Not going to lie, it startled me, a lot, kind of freaked me out; you don't realize how big these birds are until they are right in front of you. Also, owls are silent in flight, and that added to the feeling, massive wings heading in your direction, but absolutely no noise. What a great start to my day (it really was, I don't know many people who had gotten to have that sort of experience).
I started moving again as I tried to slow my heart rate. I got back to where I had started hiking around the lake the previous night, then headed back up the hill. I found the spot where I had left the main trail, and began walking, for a third time, into the woods, looking for my hammock. As I walked there in the ever brightening light of the morning, I quickly realized my mistake of the night before, I hadn't walked in far enough, and I turned right way too soon. There was a bit of a drop off where I was, and to be safe, I had turned sooner in the dark. Now that I could see more clearly, I had a better idea where I had set up.
Finding the hammock still wasn't easy, and had the tree straps not been orange, it would have taken me a lot longer. Never the less I found my gear, made sure everything was ok, part of me expected to find a tree laying across everything because of how windy it was the previous night, but everything was fine. I started packing up, and as I did I began thinking about how much easier everything was in the day light. Initially I thought I knew what God was trying to communicate to me, but I didn't stop to write anything down just yet.
I loaded up my pack, picked up my hand made walking stick, and headed back to the main trail. Again, I'm amazed at how far into the woods I had gone the previous evening, there is no way I would have found this thing last night, possibly not even with my good backpacking headlamp. I got back to the trail, adjusted my pack, and started to hike....
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
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