I often walk along the Potomac, enjoying one of the land’s great rivers so close to my home. Yesterday afternoon, on a beautiful fall day, Laura and I went down a path along the C&O Canal and made our way to the shore of the Potomac via one of the many side trails. The picture above is what was at my feet as we stood and gazed out at the mighty body of water. There is so much to see in such a small place.
The Potomac was named in 1608 by Captain John Smith, who called it “Patawomeke” after an Algonquian Indian family place name for the area surrounding where I now live.
I love looking at the rocks, worn smooth by the water that often swirls around them. The many tiny shells reveal that the bed is a home to mollusks. There are also tiny roots, polished to smoothness by time and currents. Of course, fall is making itself known through the dried leaves at my feet.
One of the reasons I go into nature is to experience the essence of life away from my computer and to-do list. With my wife, I enjoyed the sunlight, the cool fall air, the smells of the river bed, tiny animals scurrying in the brush, and the occasional smile or small talk with others out for a walk.
What might you do this week to experience the essence of life?
“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river, and he’s not the same man.”
– Heraclitus
