Walking was just the right speed today

After Easter Service the sun was shinning and we went walking.

There is a trail that runs along the river and this is where we headed.

Myrtle Beach was the last real long walk we have been on
so stretching muscles was very important. 

The fields are showing signs of green after the warm rain of yesterday
and the river has spilled over it's banks.

We look forward each year to the blooming of this early spring wild flower.

Warm rain has started the trees blooming
- signs of spring were everywhere today.

3 of the 4 bridges were closed and getting through the barriers was a physical work out.
No worries there were many people on the trail all crossing as we did.

The new signs of life were not the only things that caught our attention.

Yes there remains snow in the shaded area of the trail.

We were not the only creatures out today this garter snake was
enjoying the sun.

Ramblings of a Mennonite Grandmother

My last blog post created a bit of a stir as the people who read it placed my struggle within either their experience of retirement or their desire to retire and I appreciate all the comments and the conversation it has created.

That conversation continued today at church where I was engaged in a conversation about how no one wants to openly talk about the emotional struggles some of us are experiencing in retirement. 

I have named my retirement demon and through my writing and self reflection I am finding joy, expectation and serenity – our walk today is a perfect example.  It is those fears that remain unnamed that haunt our subconscious and rob us of joy.

In church today the two of us talked about our reality and named our fear retirement is the last stage of life – the 20^th century lie we have been fed.  While we talked we could not ignore the children laughing at the table next to us and insight caught us both up short. 

We are both healthy as are the children, there is no reason to anticipate that either of us will die in the next year nor any of the children yet here we were talking about our fear of death and needing a purpose while the children laughed, played and held the world as a place of wonder and excitement.

We named our challenge to find the world a place of wonder and excitement just as the children do - to play with full abandon our only goal to live well!

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2019 twosnydergirls