"The road goes ever on and on..."

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.

J. R. R. Tolkien

There is something about a path winding its way beyond the horizon that is irresistible to me. It does not matter where the path is, I always want to follow it. It might wind along a coastline with waves crashing against sandy beaches. The path may be shrouded by tall trees with heavy boughs. It may run straight through a field of wild flowers. Wherever the path is, it beckons my feet to follow it. I want to know where it goes even if it is only the other side of the mountain.

There is something about a path that allows me to think things over. While my feet wander along, my ears hear the sound of birds and the rustle of grass, and my eyes eagerly search for new things to see; I can think. My problems seem less important, somehow removed from me. I can ponder the questions that I do not have time to think about on a normal stress filled day. I feel a little bit sad when I reach the end of a path or have to turn around to go back. As I head away from the adventure bit by bit every day concerns settle back on my shoulders, like a pack that I always carry with me.

I love looking at pictures of paths. When I see them I want to know where they go. I imagine what is around the bend as the path curves off the side of a picture. A path stretching before me, represents freedom. Freedom from the normalcy of the regular day. Adventure. Discovery. Peace. This is what I find as I follow a dirt track through a forest or a rocky trail up a mountain. I hope you too can discover the joy of a path pulling you to discover new things.