As we were getting ready to go up the trail head I asked Chris to put a replacement journal in the camera case. We made our way towards the top, which is getting easier and easier. The first 600 feet or so is crazy steep but after that the assent become somewhat gentler. There is a rope to assist hikers at one especially steep part right near the top. It is at this point I have started getting quite giddy at the prospect of reading the journals. This is where Chris realized in making a last minute decision to carry just the camera and not the case that he had left the replacement journal behind. I figured it would be ok, we could just leave the other ones up for another night. I could input them on the blog tomorrow. I went to where I had left them. They weren’t there. I looked all around, figuring people might put them in a spot they thought was more protected or visible. No journals to be found. I was sad. this had become a much anticipated moment of my day, and now with no replacement journal I would not have this moment of delight tomorrow either. Lesson, lesson...what is the lesson? I searched the bushes for a while. Chris felt terrible, suggested the he would run down to the car and get it. Which would mean 3.2 extra kilometres (2 miles) , 300 (984 feet) meters down, 300 meters back up. Sweet gesture but from a guy who just got over conjunctivitis yesterday, I couldn’t accept. I considered doing it myself. It would have felt like quite the accomplishment. The thing was though the more I thought about it, this, these events that were happening ARE the experiment. I have set up the parameters, decided on variables, what happens when these are combined is what this is all about. The score was not to make sure that there was a journal left at every destination at all times, it was to commit to 12 day undertakings, leave journals places in relationship to that undertaking and leave the rest to the universe. So there you have it. 12 days journal 1 , and 12 days journal 2 are wild! Feral, out there in the world and making there way to God knows where. They were the first journals I ever numbered or put the blog URL on so it is fitting that they be the first to wander off. God speed little books!
On the practical side of things I am reminded that there is no day like today. I am going to make up full labels with great explanations, email address, blog URL’s, physical address, the works! So that next time this happens, because there will be a next time, the little journals have a batter chance of making it home.
So thank you Chris, for leaving the journal in the truck. Inspiration comes in many many ways.
One last note. I have to say what a wonderful and abundant part of the world I live in and how grateful I am for this. Though the Pulpit rock trail has no streams that cross it, the earth at the moment is like a sieve. Every once and a while a little running stream with form from water seeping through the ground. I was struck by what a blessing it was to live in a place that is so abundant with fresh running water. We drank from these little streams and at the bottom of the trail drank again from the overflow of someone's water system. there are places in the world, many many places where water is a luxury. I truly love living in the mountains and the forest. I am so very very blessed.
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