Beauty 365 … Stories of Love and Life for Everyday
Lock-down journey Day 35… Up the creek
Why does it take a pandemic to help us discover a nature haven that has always been right under our noses?
Day 35, and for the fourth day in a row, we put down our studies/work at the end of the afternoon, packed the dog in the car, and headed off to Gardiner’s Creek Reserve for a family walk.
Hidden away amidst suburbia, the reserve has a walking track of around three kilometres, a steady flowing creek, and gum trees galore.
For me, the delights are three-fold. Firstly, I am loving getting the fresh air and exercise. I also walked home from the creek with the wet, stinky dog, so got to clock up almost 8000 steps. Not bad, for these predominantly sedentary days. Secondly, I’m relishing the opportunity to do anything together as a family, aware that before long we will disperse again. Thirdly, I’m loving seeing so many other families doing the same! The reserve was busier than Bourke Street: people on bikes, joggers, prams, balls in grassy areas. Family bliss and doggie paradise!
I had anticipated that it wouldn’t be long before some of the kids (or was it my husband?!) would decide it wasn’t necessary to use the bridges to make a creek crossing. Not the adventurous type, but knowing that it was going to be my destiny, I didn’t argue. I abseiled down the embankment (grabbed tufts of grass to stop me slipping), braved the rapids (tip-toed wobblily across the rocks, carefully avoiding the slow trickle), and mountaineered up the rock face (crawled up the other side). All were suitably impressed, as was I, with my sudden burst of recklessness.
While half the time I’m cursing this pandemic, the other half I’m thanking God for it and the wonders He is revealing through it.
What else is right under our noses that we haven’t discovered?!
