Turned Around

As Christmas approaching life gets busier and busier. So many events to attend, decorating the house, baking and many other things which are all things of great fun. Sadly though there are only so many days in the week to fit it all into leaving very little time for hiking. Thankfully today we were able to get out on the trail and hike up to the ridge on Mount Tzouhalem. When we left the valley it was covered in fog and we thought we were in for a mystical time up the mountain, taking a GPS in case we couldn't see our way. However when reaching the parking lot we were up well above the fog and as we began our hike we were able to look down on our fog covered Cowichan Valley. It was to be a quick hike up to the cross and back, a trail we have done many times.

As we hiked towards the cross we came to the old logging road that leads to the ridge. We had come down from the ridge a few times that way but never gone up. We decided to change our plans and hike to the ridge instead of the cross. We followed the trail along and I felt really comfortable that I was leading us in the right direction, and I was until we came to a junction. I chose the trail to the right and yet after a ways it didn't look familiar at all and so we turned around and went in the other direction. We still could not see the ridge or the water on the other side. At one point my friend said oh this is where we came down from but I wasn't so sure that was the way to go and headed further down the trail but it soon became obvious that she was correct and we had to turn around once again. Thankfully, we soon came to ridge and enjoyed the wonderful views down onto Cowichan Bay. 

It always amazes me how turned around I can get in the woods and I'm always thankful for my friends sense of direction to get us heading in the right direction.  Life can be like that as well. We set off on a path confident of the outcome, feeling it is the best "pathway" for us to take. Then all of a sudden circumstances can have us feeling lost and unsure of whether we are on the true path. We have gotten ourselves turned around from our original goal. At times like this in my life I have always been thankful to have my friends. As with being out on the trail, your friends are there to listen and to guide and to sometimes speak the truth and say hey - you're going the wrong way or making the wrong choice. They are able to point us in the right direction. It would be very lonely on life's pathways if we didn't have our friends along to support us and for us to also support them. 

Life is always a continuation of choices to be made. Sometimes we make the right ones, other times maybe not so much. There are times when we all feel lost and there are times when we feel alone but hopefully we have our family and friends to get us back on the right path of life. I feel for those who are truly alone and have no one to guide them. 

Today was a great day and I am glad we managed to get up to the ridge. It has always been a favourite place of mine to sit and reflect. Although I never hike up there alone anymore it is a great place to share with a friend and relax from the busyness of Christmas time. A great place to breathe deeply and let go as we await the birth of Jesus.