Hiking In Kenosha Pass, CO
It's that time of year. When leaves change, the air shifts to cooler temperatures, and the sunlight begins to fade earlier in the day. It's a favorite time for many, and I'm included. It's when we begin to spend more time at home, cozy and warm, away from the cooler temperatures.
We cook soups and stews, dust off our boots, and throw on some sweaters.For me, the start of fall invites me to get out into the mountains and enjoy the views of the changing aspens and all their brilliant gold glory. Last weekend we roused ourselves out of bed to get a nice short fall hike in at Kenosha Pass. About an hour outside of Denver, we are so lucky to be able to enjoy the beauty of nature and the open forest so close to home.
Walking through the changing trees I was enchanted by the beautiful golden aspen leaves. Fall has always been my favorite, not only does Colorado has gorgeous weather and painterly scenery, it's just a naturally more reflective time in our lives. For me this time has always invoked thoughts of perseverance and patience.
The forests are beginning to shed their leaves, nuts, and foliage so that they can persevere through the winter months and bloom all over again come spring. Around this time tiny acorns fall from their branches. They must patiently wait 8 months to begin their long and slow lives as great oak trees. From small beginnings come great things, right? Mother nature knows what patience and perseverance truly is.
Perseverance has never been something I've lacked. Actually, I consider myself more in the stubborn territory. If I've have a goal in front of me, it's pretty much impossible to stop me from seeing it through. So when I'm walking through the changing forests I have a great sense of respect and affinity for this time of year. These trees have great perseverance and prepare themselves to make it through the coldest winters.
But it's always been patience that I've never had a ton of. One of my earliest memories was when my father made me and my brother spell 'P-A-T-I-E-N-C-E' before we could have the cookies we so desperately wanted. I'm pretty sure it was the first large word I learned how to spell, and probably the most ironic thing about my life.
So many other people in my life have great patience. Maybe I subconsciously surround myself with these people in some attempt that it will wear off on me too? It's a virtue that I've tried so hard to master and struggle with daily. I think for me it comes with great expectation. I see the potential in everyone and usually focus on their best attributes, so when they can't always live up to that I get impatient. I also do it to myself about 100x more. I am usually very hard on myself and when I can't learn or succeed at something at a reasonable pace, it drives me nuts. Which in all honesty isn't really fair, to anyone including myself.
So as I meditate on the brightly spotted yellow leaves of these aspen trees I must consider patience. Patience for what will come, having faith in what must come, and patience in myself and others. I'm going to take this long breath before winter to focus on the same patience that these aspen have. Finding the areas of my life in this moment that require waiting, and others that simply need reassurance that time will come and shift when it is ready.
Patience that if I persevere, I too will find my own Spring in whatever ails me. I hope you find some comfort in their patience too."Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come." - Robert H. Schuller