ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS about the Southern Part of Heaven is the large number of walking trails that we have. Walking in the malls is good exercise; walking on trails is better, and walking on less frequented trails is best. I recommend walking in silence. Walking (or rolling if you are in a wheelchair) in the woods can be an uplifting experience.

Yesterday a man went for a walk in the woods close to home. It was a path that many of the neighbors were not aware of. He was having pain in one foot, but the desire to walk was strong. It was in the afternoon of a hot day, and the shade of the trees was welcome.

"Hello, old friend," he said quietly to a large oak tree; "And hello to you, Tall Giant," he whispered to a poplar tree. He greeted the trees, bushes, plants, moss and the earth; even thanking the poison ivy for leaving the pathway open.

All plants live in silence; and so after the brief greetings, he walked in silence. As he walked, he let go of his worries and paid attention to the surroundings. He noticed more and more things. He saw an owl sitting on a limb looking at him, heard the delicate sound of a deer walking, smelled the rich scent of dark bottom soil after a summer rain. All his tension disappeared.

After a while, his senses quickened even further. He sensed a wisplike motion in the thick woods. He turned toward it and thought: "Ok, Mr Deer, I can't see you. Yet I know you are there. You are not fooling me."

Perhaps the deer could sense his thoughts, for its white tail flashed up. The man glimpsed the tail and thought, "You slipped up, my friend, now I can see you."

In response, the deer stomped its foot and snorted, and by the sounds the man knew it was a buck.

The man walked on. He was in a zone of heightened perception. His thoughts were only about walking, observing the forest, and an overriding feeling of love and thankfulness. All thoughts of wealth, power, and fame left. Ego melted away. The pain in his foot went away.

Many distance runners speak of a feeling of elation that they get when they run long distances. They feel they are rising into the air and becoming weightless. This is called "tipping." It is not necessary to run long distances in order to have this feeling. You can have that feeling when listening to beautiful music, while standing near the foot of a waterfall, or while standing on a beach at sunset. And you can have it while walking in the woods.

Walking in the woods can be done by those who are wheelchair bound, those who are deaf, and those who are blind. Hanging Rock Park, NC, has paved trails. The Blue Ridge Parkway is over 469 miles long and has more than 100 trails, some of which are paved.

In the spring I walked along a trail with a deaf man. He appeared to enjoy it even more than I.

Last year, I walked with a blind man. "Did you hear that bird singing?" I asked. "Yes," he replied, "And did you hear the frog jump into the stream?" I had not. Both the deaf man and the blind man were more alert than I.

Arise! The forest beckons! Turn away from the TV, step out of your boxes, lay down your troubles - and walk in the woods.

© Stanley Peele, 2009

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stanley Peele has been a judge for more than 38 years; and is presently an emergency judge. He is a mediator, counselor, newspaper columnist, writer, and visits people in the hospital and nursing homes. He has been married to his wife, Carolyn, for 48 years.

Stanley has also done spiritual counseling and healing work for 40 years, and wrote the book, "A Simple Guide To Spiritual Healing." In addition, Stanley has worked as a crisis counselor, helped found the Family Service Agency of Chapel, Janus House, Oasis, plus a Parenting After Divorce program, and a Big Brother-Big Sister program in Chatham County, NC. In 1977, Stanley helped start a Teen Court program, which failed. He also helped start, and still participates as a judge in the present Teen Court program - a program where the attorneys, defendant, jury, bailiff and clerk are all teens.

Stanley’s mission is to help people discover their soul's purpose. Other than that, he says, he really hasn't done much. But we at PLW beg to differ!