10 Minutes of Beautiful

John and I went for a hike today.  It is the activity that comes to my mind when I really want to be with him.  On a trail, I know that I will feel nourished and full and able to appreciate him without daily-life distractions.

We escaped to the ever-dependable beauty of Chautauqua and trekked across the low-lying trails for... about 10 minutes.  At that point, he was ready to head home to his trains.

Mind you, I took pictures that will capture those ten minutes for eternity.  (Hint: my blog so easily blurs  the time : impression ratio.)  But even just today, those 10 minutes defined my entire feeling about the day.  The experience of being in such a beautiful spot, moving in the fresh air, and watching my 3-year-old run against such a backdrop - it is like a work of art.  In the same way that just looking at a certain painting for a moment or reading a particular poem can change a person, being in that beautiful scene even for 10 minutes can change everything for me, too.

I do feel fortunate to live so close to such natural beauty.  Maybe we all do, in one way or another.  However, I do remember days living in Washington D.C., driving hours to get to the Blue Ridge Parkway for a day hike.  Carbon footprint aside, that trek was always worth it.

I am not sure that John will grow up to be a big hiker, or to have a deep love of nature, but hopefully our 10 minute hikes give that passion a chance.