Paths

They say that life starts at the door where you are born and ends when they close the lid of your coffin, in between we travel along many paths that lead us inevitably to that final door.

Today, Buster and I were walking a path that we have walked many, many times. It is filled with many interesting smells and is just long enough that I feel I’ve had a little exercise. Most of the way is on sidewalks with a grass verge, I prefer to walk on the grass and Buster for the most part likes the sidewalk. I like walking on grass, it must be in my Postie DNA and I think Buster likes the concrete because it keeps his nails trimmed and pads tough. He could just be a lazy little doofus though. One section of our walk the verge becomes enormous and we both have to walk on the grass, because one of us likes to and the other is at the end of a leash. Interestingly enough, there is a path that has been worn in the grass and Buster will walk along the packed dirt while I still prefer the grass. There are obviously more people that agree with Buster than agree with me.

 

Many years ago we were lucky enough to spend some time in Saskatoon. The university there was relatively new and when they put in new buildings they just laid grass without any sidewalks at all. Within a few months it became apparent where sidewalks were needed because of the paths that the students took to get to class. The sidewalks were a trifle odd looking, but quite effective. I’m sure that such a clever, innovative idea has since been forgotten in favour of the more traditional idea.

When you backpack up and over Assiniboine Pass, you get there following a path that goes from below the tree line to above it. If you are anything like me, you would have arrived tired but energized. The campground is nice and waking up surrounded by some of God’s most amazing creations is beyond description. After packing up you follow the trail over Wonder Pass and come to a spot where you can look down on Marvel Lake like a God of old. If there is indeed a heaven, then the path will lead over Wonder Pass. 

The path through the pass is a very sensitive eco system and can be damaged just by walking along. You are encouraged to walk in the dirt path where others have walked before you so that your “footprint” is minimal. Of course many haven’t wanted to walk in the muck and have made other paths so that when I walked there it looked as if there had been a number of cars driving over the pass. Hopefully, people have become more sensitive over the years.

 

I had other “Path” tales, but the memories of Wonder Pass have banished them from my mind.

May your path through life be long and interesting.