We decided on a 2.5 mile hike. It was to be a moderate and not too shocking to the body. It was no surprise when Curt and Jackson wanted to veer off the main path and go higher. I joined them at first. The sun was going down, and I was concerned that we weren’t prepared to hike in the dark. Also, I didn’t want to be overly sore the next day.

After climbing a little bit higher, Curt asked me to wait and give he and Jackson five more minutes to climb higher. I knew five minutes meant they were going all the way up. I knew I was going to be mad and left to walk down by myself. Sure enough, 20 plus minutes later he calls and says to start heading down and take different route than we had initially planned.

I stared down in a huff. It was getting darker and I wanted to be to the truck before dark even though I didn’t have the key. I was was moving as fast as the rugged terrain would allow. My anger at being cold and having to hike alone was growing.

I came to an intersection in the path. Curt had told me to go straight, but I only saw right or left. Tapping into my inner sense of direction, I went right. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I had gone the wrong or at least longer way down, so when the path widened I picked up my pace even more. I didn’t want to be hiking completely in the dark. Then a rock jumped up and grabbed my foot and I went down, hard.

Despite a wounded ego and a few bruises, I was left thinking about how often I go careening through life in the darkness of busyness, distraction, over commitment, and fatigue. I needed to slow down on that path and I need to slow down in life.

You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. (Psalm 18:28 NIV)

God continues to light my path even when I see the sun setting. He brings back my focus. He straightens my path and sometimes takes me on a necessary long cut.

I ended up walking an extra mile, but made it down before I needed the light on my phone. Curt and Jackson when the “right” way and ended up in the wrong parking lot :0)