My little place in the big world

I firmly believe everyone should have a place to escape from the stress of life.  A place to pray, to think, to dream and to consider possibilities beyond boundaries that society places.  This place shouldn't be fancy or expensive to get to, but rather easily accessible.

My place has always been along the river.  Anyone who would happen to remotely glance at my social media accounts would see I love taking pictures along the Susquehanna River.  For me it's more then a cool place to take pictures and post to Facebook once in a while.  Since I grew up about 1,000 feet from the river it has always been a place I loved to go.   Now I live a twenty five minute drive away, but I still find myself going there just as often as when I lived at home.

Today as I was running the trail I did many times before I thought of all the experiences I had throughout my life along the three mile stretch.  It was where I learned how to pick out rocks that looked like certain shapes to paint with my Grandma.  It was where I had my first date, my first kiss, my first real star gaze, my first picnic and many other momumental occasions in my life.  When I had my first heart brake I went to a secluded part of river and cried for hours.  When I had my first patient death I stayed strong at work, but when I clocked out I drove straight to the river.  With my knees tucked to chest I cried for the loss and contemplated my strength as a caregiver.  After almost  every test in nursing school I would reduce the anxiety of not knowing my score yet by either running along the trail or just staring up at the sky praying I passed.

It's hard to think of a time where there was an important decision or pressing situation and I didn't go to river.  It's the place in the world I feel closest to God.  It's the place where I'm free. God has answered prayers and worked in my life that I know have been a result of the prayers I prayed along the river.  Some of them are concrete and I would love to share them, and others are just between Him and I.

The river has shared in my greatest victories and defeats.  It sees me almost everyday through all seasons.  I know the best places for a spring picnic.  I will drop everything to go for a run in the summer.  When Autumn comes I'll watch the leaves on the trees change colors on the hills across the river.  During winter I love when the water turns an icy blue and the snow rests on the bare trees.

If you're my friend you may have walked the river with me.  And if you did, thank you.  By walking with me you're speaking my love language and joining me in my biggest pastime.

If you have a place you go that means something to you, share it!  I love to learn about places that hold significance to others.  If you don't have one yet I encourage you to find one.  It could be as small as a bedroom or as large as a soccer field.  As long as you can get there often and enjoy it.