Go a Little Further I arrived at Oregon's Willamette National Forest after dark. Suddenly I find myself at a fork in the road. To the right was a chained gate marked "Foot Travellers Welcome." To the left was an open Road marked "National Sanctuary Authorized Visitors Only." I stared at both signs, then headed to the left. I didn't see anything that looked like lodgings and I began to feel uncomfortable, like one of those unauthorized visitors the sign warned about. I backed the car out to the fork, turned around, and left. Two hours later, I still hadn't found the retreat. I was tired and worried about running out of gas. I tried to remember what I'd been learning - the desperation attracts more desperation. I relaxed and visualized myself finding the retreat, being given a key to a room, and go into sleep in a bed. I visualized it until I could see the scene clearly in my mind. Before long I found myself back at the fork. I mean no harm, I thought. So I'll just drive down that nature sanctuary road again, the one for authorized visitors only. I drove as far as I have been before, then decided to push ahead a bit more. I rounded the band and there it was - the parking lot, the night office, and a man who would give me a key to my room. Within twenty minutes, I was in bed for the evening. Sometimes we need to go further than we thought we could. We need to go past our fear, passed our uncertainty, pass the bend we can't see beyond. If we stay on the course, give it that extra push, go round the bend, we may find what we're looking for. Melody Beattie (1948 - ) Journey To The Heart ๐
Posted by bristolfmeunited at 2023-07-16 06:59:15 UTC