Morning Walks of Beauty

I have been enjoying morning walks this last week, and discovered the joy of looking for something special every day for which to thank my Creator. Since I walk my youngest son to his bus stop in the morning anyway, I decided to make this my exercise routine while the weather is nice. I wave goodbye to him, and off I go on a loop of one sort or another, trying out new paths or venturing down unknown roads, scanning the houses as I go, and looking for interesting birds, deer, squirrels at work or play, or other signs of "life". While my walks so far are in complete silence, making me all the more alert to traffic and the goings-on around me, I look ahead two weeks to when my cochlear implant will be activated for sound, and my walks will take on a whole new dimension.

One day this week, Caleb and I remarked at the huge, orange, full morning moon rising in the sky. Another day, we felt almost criminal walking across the red leaf carpet laid before us on the sidewalk under a small maple tree that looked to us like the flame on a candle. Each leaf had brilliant color and texture in the yellow and green veins of the leaf. We keep trying to collect the most beautiful ones, and give them to each other as a love gift, but by the end of the day, they are withered and dry, and have lost their beauty.

Another day, as I was walking along with the road on my right and a swampy area on my left, I noticed at my feet a little black and brown fuzzy caterpillar about the cross the road. At first, I kept walking. And then I thought that I'd like to bring the little guy home and show the boys after school. So, I went back and picked him up and carried him home. I grabbed a clear plastic deli container and ripped some grass out from the cracks in the driveway (it needed to come out anyway!) and made a temporary home for him. Caleb enjoyed him and helped me release him the next day, mentioning that he hoped some bird didn't swoop down and eat him.

I've seen Blue Jays and Cardinals this week, which we should enjoy during the winter months, too. And I saw my first "V" formation of geese migrating South for the winter. All of these wonderful things cause my heart to sing in praise and worship for the God who not only made them, but made me as well. Have you gone a morning walk lately?