Whitewater Preserve is easily becoming one of my new favorite hiking places. It’s close to Palm Springs, California, just off the I-10.
As I was recently walking with my mom (taking her to a trail section of the Pacific Crest Trail since she recently read a book by a German hiker who hiked the PCT), I noticed the trails around the ranger station exhibit famous quotes written on rocks.
The one I have seen most often shared on social media is one by John Muir:
I only went out for a walk
and finally concluded
to stay out till sundown,
for going out, I found,
was really going in.
John Muir, the great American conservationist, caught the spirit of being in nature quite perfectly. In my interpretation of this quote, I fully agree with John Muir. When I go out into nature, it allows me to be reflective and introspective. I am really going in.
The quote, however, that I related to most on this day at Whitewater Preserve was from Lao Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher and writer:
In nature, nothing hurries,
yet everything is accomplished.
2018 was a pretty hectic year and a lot felt done in a hurry. My intention for 2019 is to slow down, focus on the things that are important to me and make the world a tiny little better each day.
This post was inspired by the Friendly Friday Photo Challenge.
6 comments
I do love that second quote, read it often and we need to read it often!
So true. The first month of the year isn’t over yet and I feel I need to ground myself in that quote every morning as the daily stress starts to get hold of me.
Oh I do love a good quote as you will see on my blog. Wonderful words from Tzu! I think it challenges us to do that same as Nature! Inspiring indeed. Hope to see you later this week when I host the challenge.
Thank you, Amanda! I’ll be looking out for the upcoming challenge. 🙂
Great take on the challenge! I especially love the second quote, it really puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?
Thank you. Yes, I love that quote.