Running along one of our favourite routes through the forest of ferns, we almost missed it. Strangely, we had run by it a number of times in the past, its painted letters usually more obscured by the tall grasses. The old and weathered signpost marked the way to "a trail less travelled", a trail, it would seem, not chosen by human or horse for a very long time.
It beckoned us, not as a dare, but as a gentle invitation to explore what we had missed...to go where our footsteps would bend the tall, soft grass and lightly impact the damp forest floor. It meant that we would have to run longer and further to reconnect with the familiar path back to the cabin. Or maybe it would simply end and we would have to backtrack to the sign. Wherever it would lead us, we could not resist its call.
There is something about the familiar "trails" - it's often tempting to stay on them. They are known and so they are comfortable. The "pitfalls" and tricky parts are predictable, and so we can avoid those spots or, at least, ready ourselves for them. They are well traveled, so we can be casual about our preparation - and ill-prepared for surprises.
Unfamiliar trails, however, spark the imagination and give rise to that delicious feeling of anticipation. You never know what you will find over the crest of the hill or beyond (or "in"!) the next mud hole - the heightened sense of adventure is savoured. The unfamiliar trail is not well traveled so the runner must be prepared to be self-sufficient. All these things nourish the spirit and expand our hearts and minds. They also build confidence.
It has been my experience that the "trails" less travelled in life, promise and deliver on the richest and deepest of experiences. We have always tried to choose those paths, and there has never been a moment of regret. I know that there are many more such signposts, tucked in and hidden amidst life's tall grasses.
Adventure, freshness, and the fullness of experience awaits the observant eye, the curious mind, and the willing heart.
You too, I'm sure, will have taken such paths...and been as deeply rewarded.
Duncan.
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