Once at Steinke Basin I did a double-take. On the path ahead of me was a small brown creature that looked like a lobster. The sight was so unexpected that it flustered me.
I had just started my walk, and I was on the gravel road the emergency vehicles use to get to the top of the bluffs when there’s been a hiking accident. The first part of the gravel road has a low marshy area on both sides. It’s easy to forget there’s water because it’s mostly obscured by vegetation.
On this particular day, I was in the right place at the right time to see something rather unusual. When I returned to my senses, I realized it was a crawfish.
The old joke replayed in my head: “Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.”
I approached the crawfish and greeted it: “Hello, sir. It’s nice to meet you.” Then I asked him, “Would you like any assistance?” He replied, “No, I got this.” So I wished him a good day and went on my way, recognizing the lesson in healthy boundaries.
Another time, I was hiking the Uplands Trail pondering what I needed to do to move forward in my life. I walked right into a little green inchworm dangling on a thread from a tree. It hit me in the face and landed on my shirt. He said, “Here, let me show you how it’s done. You take one step at a time and inch your way forward.” Spirit has a sense of humor.
In nature, even the smallest encounters can have meaning and bring joy.
This work is real, and it matters.
(This is a picture of the crawfish I encountered dated from 2013. It’s interesting to note how much cell phone cameras have improved over the years.)
October 15, 2021