I went hiking the other day. It was an absolutely gorgeous morning. Not too hot, not too cold. Whenever I longed for some cooling, a slight breeze came out of nowhere. And when Sherman, my dog, needed shade, a tiny little cloud miraculously popped up in the sky.
The sun played with the colors of the mountains which lay undisturbed in front of me.
Not another hiker in sight.
No one was talking on the phone.
No music blasting from anyone’s portable radio.
Just the sounds of nature and blissful peace wherever I walked.
The air around me was filled with treats for my nostrils. Sometimes it was the musky smell of the creosote bush. Sometimes it was a dusty, dry scent rising from the warm rocks.
Sherman joyfully trotted alongside me, sniffing here, jumping happily over a rock there, his tail wagging, his ears adorably bouncing up and down. His whole demeanor was an infectious sight of utter delight.
And here I was.
Thinking about this and thinking about that.
Annoying stuff.
Aggravating stuff.
Redundant stuff.
Useless stuff.
And evermore stuff.
Beautiful landscapes surrounded me. I didn’t see them.
The desert’s silence enveloped me. My ears were filled with noise.
Sherman enjoyed life right next to me. And I was tormenting myself.
I don’t need anyone else to torture me. I can do that aaaaall by myself. I can be somewhere, all alone, and be in hell. It’s high time to let go of the whip.
Brigitte Schneider
aka Ms. Self Flagellation
P.S. Sounds like I found my New Year’s Resolution 😂
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