I decided to continue hiking until dinner time, though I could hear a lot of thunder coming from the west. If I got wet, I could live with it. One trail took me to a stone house, a “refreshment center”, it said inside. There was a wooden chair and a lectern with a copy of the Psalms in large calligraphy. Then, I saw that there was also a pitcher of water and cups – so it really was a refreshment center. I had not brought any water with me, so this was a perfectly timed gift.
My hike took me though woods, over creeks and through meadows with long grass. The latter is one trail I should have avoided. I pulled ten ticks off of my clothing after leaving that trail. The trails were pretty well marked, but at our orientation tonight the monk told us of a retreatant last week who got lost in those woods and farther. She started out at 8:30 AM, got lost and found a farmer 22 miles away later ten hours later! I got back after a three hour hike in time for the 5:30 prayer service and just before the rain reached the Abbey.
This first day has been fairly easy for me. I love walking in the woods, listening to the birds, looking at the may apples (with their May fruit attached!) and Jack-in-the Pulpits, just enjoying God’s creation and expressing my appreciation to Him for it all. I plan to read some tonight, and probably a lot tomorrow if it does indeed rain all day. It will be a day for reflection and journaling.
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