The Trail

This morning, my sister texted me and asked for my opinion on where to go for a walk on a campus that I used to go to.  I was suddenly flooded with memories of my time at that school, a school from which I did not graduate, but rather a school that has left a cloud over my adolescence and an obvious display of uncertainty in a time of my life I felt very lost.

As soon as Em asked, I instantly had a spot in mind.  I spent many an afternoon running a particular trail for warm-ups, distance days, and cool downs with my teammates.  The trail started just outside the limits of campus and transcended me to a different place while I ran.  It started in a heavily wooded area along a large creek, and eventually opened up and continued along a field where horses often roamed (fenced of course).  I could follow the trail in my mind as I searched for an address to provide to my sister.  I remembered the workouts at the end of the trail that made me realize I was not as strong of a runner as I originally thought.  I remembered the uplifting spirit of the trail the days that I was feeling particularly depressed or homesick.  And most importantly, I remember the laughs and conversations I had with my teammates friends as we ran single file through the woods.  The pang of emotion is still strong.

One thing in particular that really stopped me in my tracks this morning was how fondly I remember that trail, even in the midst of a tough time in my life, was a gift from God.