Wandering Inspiration

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.