Ardinlgly

Being in lockdown has made me forgetful. I forgot yesterday was a bank holiday! So I had a counselling appointment to keep. It seemed to work in my favour though, because we went for our walk a bit later than we would normally choose. And this time we chose to go to Ardingly, attracted by a walk around the reservoir. We have a book of walks and we hadn’t yet attempted the Ardingly challenge.. So off we went. The thought of walking by the cooling water was a grand thought on what was another glorious day. It dawned on me slowly. I am still expecting everywhere to be really quiet, like it was at the beginning of lockdown. But it’s different now. People are venturing out. And it turned out a lot of people thought of going to Ardingly to walk by the reservoir yesterday! I was fully confronted with this truth as we came towards the little road to the car park. First it was a pay and display one. So it wasn't open! Then the road leading to it was closed. We could tell that because of all the cars parked along the grass verge either side of the entrance. “What are all these people doing here? Don’t they know we’re in lockdown?” We had to park down the road in a layby of all places! Turned out it added a couple of miles to the walk since it was a mile from the car to the start of the walk (which of course we did in reverse at the end of the walk). By the time we got to the reservoir I was ready to walk by the water. But no! Our walk took us away from the water! What? How did we miss that? So off we plodded in a not so good mood now. And then there were people. “What are you all doing here?” By now I was disappointed. This was suppose to be a refreshing walk by the reservoir, carefully chosen for that reason, with no people! I was feeling agitated. And it showed. And soon I was mad at lockdown. And the heat. And the people. But we plodded on, ventureres that we are, and soon we out plodded the day-trippers, the people who really had only come to be near the water! And that’s when it hit me. The landscape was fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. There are some landscapes that do something in my soul. And suddenly, without warning, I was right in the middle of one. It just makes me feel I belong. At peace. When I was a kid I used to go bird watching. I’d even get up at silly o’clock to go out looking for the rare ones! I still love watching them. And yesterday was a real treat because into this landscape came a red kite. Quite a common bird of prey, but this one was so close overhead I could almost touch it. To watch it soar on the thermals was a joy. Turned out that this walk, not by the reservoir, was one of the best walks we’ve done. And yet it all started so badly. But it became a gift. Made me think of a famous Psalm, or at least a verse in a famous Psalm: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” (Psalm 23:5) That’s the kind if thing he does. He comes to us in the mess, bringing something for our soul. At least he did for me yesterday.