Wind on the Trails

- January 25, 2024

By Brother Luke

Suddenly a mighty wind swept in.

(Job 1:19)

Winter has truly blown in with a fury this year. We have had several winter storms accompanied by strong winds and the crack of trees breaking and falling in the woods. And when that happens, the trails don't get spared. So, my dogs and I have made, and continue to make, forays into the woods to hike the trails and clear away the debris and branches. Those forays are more like reconnaissance because when the trees themselves fall across the trails, then out comes the chain saw.

Sometimes all that is required is to cut a path through a large tree trunk. But other times one tree will bring down another, and a jumble of branches blocks the trail. Much of that can be cleared by pulling the broken branches away from the trail and using a simple hand saw to cut some of the branches. In some cases a tree has fallen, uprooted, and hit another tree, and remains hung up perilously over the trail. Bringing that down requires more calculation: which of the trees gets cut first, and in what order do you cut the others to make sure no one gets hurt as the tree finally falls to the ground? Some of the trees that come down also have trail blazes on them, and those have to be removed and then placed on other trees. The good news about trail grooming is that it is work in nature. For me it is a chance to do a simple, but sometimes exhausting, task, usually with my dogs helping out by bringing back the branches I throw away! In winter the snow is an added attraction for the dogs. Not only is the whole world a giant snow cone just for them, but what a great place to play. Usually they romp around, wrestle with each other in the snow, and generally have a grand time. If I have to do something a bit dangerous, I leave them at the monastery. But mostly we go together.

Working in the woods can also be a time of clearing out the cobwebs in my mind. Hiking the trails in snow requires extra attention to the feet; who knows what branch or stone is hiding under that white carpet? Not the time to let my mind wander too far afield. But the beauty of the environment can also sweep me away from ruminating on other worries or pressing tasks. It can remind me of the magnificence of God's creation and how lucky I am to be alive and able to appreciate it. I begin to realize that my big worries are really very small when put in their proper perspective.