Being Happy and Thankful!

It's been a strange couple of months in many ways. In January my life was blessed with a new family from Syria joining our community and as the coordinator of the sponsoring group it has kept me very busy. It is the most wonderful fulfilling experience I have ever had. However, I must say, that it was keeping me from being with family and friends more than I would like so after the first month I started taking weekends for myself and got out hiking on quite a few trails with friends. When our lives get so full of busyness we forget to be thankful for the small things that we see and enjoy each day. It can sometimes get me feeling down and gives me a kinds of "flat" feeling. What a difference a day out on the trails can do for one spirits. 
This weekend I was very lucky to be able to fit in three short hikes. Friday, I drove with the family from Syria, to the parking lot of one of the highest mountains looking over our valley, Mount Prevost. We hiked up the last steep part and within twenty minutes arrived at the view point.  I was able to watch their faces fill with awe and joy as they looked out across the valley to the ocean. A view, I have seen many times in my life and maybe take for granted, brought pure joy to this young family. It was just wonderful to witness and I am so thankful to have them in my life.

A Beautiful View of the Cowichan Valley

We stayed up there enjoying the sunshine and the view below. Luckily we also found a small patch of snow on the far side of the slope which brought them pure happiness as they felt its coldness in their hands and threw it up in to the air. Something that many of us take for granted brought so much joy...we need to bet thankful for the simple things in life. 

Playing in the snow for the first time!

The next day my hiking buddy and I hiked up the mountain on the other side of the valley and went along the ridge looking down on Cowichan Bay. It was a good 3.5 hour hike and definitely gave me a much needed workout. It's a great trail, well used by many and full of amazing views of the valley and ocean. 

Cowichan Bay with mountain filled backdrop

 I realized as I hiked that there were so many trees, unique rocks and shrubs that I somehow had not noticed them before. Sometimes when things are right in front of us we can't see them for the trees ;)

An old intriguing tree that I had somehow overlooked before

Peeking out among the trees

This afternoon I hiked with two friends along a small creek coming down from Mount Prevost. It was a short fun hike in among the ferns and trees. 

In among the green green ferns

The water coming down from the mountain was very pretty and it was a very peaceful trail. The sounds of the birds in the trees, the sounds of the creek all brought a wonderful sense of peace to me. 

Bings creek rushing down from the mountain

We managed to find a couple of caches, one of them right by this waterfall, so it was all in all a great afternoon for the three of us to explore.

A great little find along the pathway!

Getting out in nature is the best medicine for my soul. No matter how busy we get, how stressed we can be over things that are happening in our life, getting out on the trails not only gives us a chance to just breathe but it also allows us the time to be thankful for this wonderful world we live in. Seeing nature through someone else's eyes, especially someone who comes from a country in war, reminds me to make each day count, to be mindful of each tree and fern along the way and mostly be thankful and happy for everything in my life. 

The peacefulness in nature

Today as I drove along I saw this little fir tree growing out from the rocks. There it was all by itself struggling to grow big and tall with only rocks for its roots to spread out in. I thought to myself wow! I want to be as strong and as brave as that little tree and I could begin today by deciding to be happy no matter what happens. To be happy I just have to want to be happy and it will just magically happen.Life is so very precious. I want to enjoy every moment and be filled with joy and live life laughing like the bubbling little creek I walked along today. It's all the way one looks at life and how we begin our days. I plan to begin my day with a smile on my face and a heart filled with thankfulness!