We had a very different day than the one we planned last Tuesday.
I had planned to clean some bathrooms, work on a furniture refinishing project, clean the downstairs, and clean our bedroom. Bugs ‘n Plugs had planned to go to the dentist, get some gas, and go to work. All necessary and important things. Two things on the list happened: the dentist and the gas. A funny thing happened while Bugs ‘n Plugs was filling his tank. He looked around and realized it was a beautiful day. The sky was blue, the temperature was cool, and there was no rain in the forecast. He called work and said he’d be taking the rest of the day off because it was a nice day. So, he finished filling the gas tank and went to the grocery store to buy goodies we don’t usually buy. He came home and caught me just as I was getting ready to start cleaning. We decided we would have a picnic!
Now, I wish I could say we just jumped in the car and left but it wasn’t that simple. First, The Progeny and I had to get dressed. Then, because we had decided to take the dogs, we had to stop to pick up some new harnesses for them because our younger dog is a wild man and he needs a firm hold on him or he’ll run. Then, we made a second trip to the grocery store for cookies because… well, do you really need a reason to get cookies for a picnic?
So, an hour later we were finally on our way to the mountains. We are fortunate enough to live within an hour of the mountains, so we were there in no time and it was a beautiful drive all the way. It has rained almost every day for the last few weeks, so everything was lush and green, and the blue of the sky seemed even more so, maybe because it has been cloudy most of the time the last few weeks. Like when you’ve forgotten you still have your sunglasses on and you take them off and realize how colorful the world is.
We stopped at a few overlooks to see the view. And what a view! We could see for miles! We stopped at a picnic area and chose a spot that seemed ideal. But, it’s rained almost every day for the last few weeks, so bugs were everywhere! After Bugs ‘n Plugs had set up the dogs’ tethers and we had taken everything to the picnic tables, we decided it would be better to set up in the back of the minivan. So, we had a comfortable picnic in the back of the car. After we finished eating, we just sat. We live in a pretty quiet neighborhood, but there is almost always a sound of people, whether it be a passing car, or a plane, or air conditioning units roaring away. But as we sat in the car at the picnic area we could hear no human-produced sounds. We heard the wind moving through the trees, the birds chirping, and the bugs buzzing. That was it. Nothing more. It was unbelievably calming. Even our wild man younger dog lay down in the back of the car, put his head on his paws and watched the birds placidly. I don’t know how long we sat but it was refreshing. Being surrounded by natural sounds for however long it was felt like the cool breeze that follows a summer thunderstorm. It was refreshing and energizing. On the way home, we stopped at one more overlook where we climbed some rocks and enjoyed the sounds of wind moving through the trees.
…sometimes you just need to go to the mountains on a clear day and take in God’s creation to calm your mind.
Sometimes our lives get busy. We are so caught up in moving to the next activity, the next problem, the next adventure. It can be maddening to be running from sunup to sundown. But today, we pushed the pause button on life and just enjoyed our little family and the sights and sounds God provided in nature because sometimes you just need to go to the mountains on a clear day and take in God’s creation to calm your mind.