PATHLIGHT: Journey to a Good Life – Life Lessons Learned In Unlikely Places
Welcome to my new column! We’ve had three weeks to get used to this New Year of 2013, a year that we face with hope and aspirations, maybe some worry and anxiety, but most of us are moving ahead with firm resolve that 2013 is going to be a better year than any before. For me, being able to share lessons I’ve learned is a dream come true, and a signal that my work and responsibilities are going to good use with this new opportunity.
I’m excited to be able to write about things that are close to my heart: families, mental health, and healthier attitudes about things people get addicted to. Learning how to manage stress, anger, disappointment or grief, and finding ways to stay mentally and emotionally balanced, are important in order to have a good life. Finding ways to be happy in relationships and to live a life worth living is of interest to everyone, no matter who or how old they are, where they live, or what their goals might be. I will also write about things readers ask me, so feel free to send a letter to Pathlight@OntarioNewsNorth.com if you have suggestions for a topic or questions you would like explored in a future column*.
Where does the title Pathlight come from? Well, let me share a story of an experience I had at the Grand Canyon many years ago. It was springtime, and my two younger brothers and I ventured out on a hike down the North Rim, across the mighty Colorado River, and up the Bright Angel Trail on the South Rim. We gave ourselves 3 days and 2 nights, and reserved a 9:00PM dinner at the Grand Canyon Lodge to celebrate the third and last night of our adventure – but by the end of the first day I wondered if I would ever see the top of the canyon again!
What happened to that hopeful, excited woman who started out so confidently early in the morning, down the steep trail winding through tall pine trees on the North Rim? Nothing dramatic – just wear and tear on a body unaccustomed to walking so many miles downhill, in the heat and dust, watching out for scorpions, snakes and loose rocks. Slower and slower I went, stopping to soak my swollen and blistered feet in the cool stream where wild water cress grew, or relax and drink from my water bottle and watch for condors flying in the bright blue sky above. I was entranced by the beauty around me in the variegated colors of the towering rocks. Around 5:00 PM my youngest brother, “Art”, made a great suggestion. Since he could walk the fastest, he said he should go ahead to our campsite about 5 miles away, set up the tents, and get food ready, while my other brother should stay with me and make sure I made it despite needing to rest often. This sounded good, and my very patient brother “J.D.” stayed with me, occasionally walking ahead to check the trail, and then waiting to make sure I was coming along.
There is a narrow place at the bottom of the canyon called “The Box” where the trail crosses back and forth over a narrow stream. Some of the switchbacks are stone and wood bridges built many years ago, and the canyon walls rise thousands of feet above on both sides. Only a small slice of sky is visible. By the time “J.D.” and I arrived there the sun had long set far away over the rim of the canyon. The stars were shining bright but the moon was not in position to give light to our path, and we had only a small flashlight to guide us. The only way we could find our path was for “J.D.” to walk behind me and shine the flashlight at my feet. There was only enough light for the next step! Then – the battery died. Have you ever tried to find spare batteries and put them into a flashlight in the pitch dark? Have you ever been on a strange trail at night in territory that you do not know at all, but the cougars and snakes know very well?
I can honestly say that I learned some essential lessons about trust in myself, other people, and my Creator there at the bottom of the Canyon, in absolute darkness, with sore and bleeding feet, aching muscles and dry throat – lessons I had not learned in any school or workplace. I learned that in life we may have only enough light for our next step and that if we wait patiently and release our fear of darkness and silence, we will be able to move on. My brother and I shared some profound moments, and learned to respect the multiple powers of the canyon and dark night, and by the time we reached our campsite around 11:00 PM we were ever so grateful for the pleasant campfire and supper that “Art” had prepared.
There is always a Pathlight, although sometimes we have to go to very deep places to find it. Walk with me on this journey to the good life through the topics explored in this column. Nothing is too hard or scary to look at in the light, and every path leads to a good place when we walk with knowledge – and a little help.
Annie Wenger-Nabigon, MSW, RSW
Pathlight@OntarioNewsNorth.com
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*Health themed columns found on OntarioNewsNorth.com provide general information about medical conditions and treatments. The information is not advice, and should not be treated as such.
If you have any specific questions about any mental health or other medical matter, please consult your family physician, primary health care team or other professional healthcare provider. Opinions and information contained in any column on OntarioNewsNorth.com are not intended to replace medical advice from your doctor or other professional health care provider. If you feel you are suffering from a mental or physical health issue, you should seek medical attention immediately. The information shared in this column or anywhere on OntarioNewsNorth.com does not constitute medical advice nor should any person delay seeking, disregard or discontinue medical treatment because of information contained in PATHLIGHT: Journey to a Good Life or on OntarioNewsNorth.com.
The opinions provided by contributors on OntarioNewsNorth.com do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor, advertisers or other contributors.
