I love that Seinfeld episode where George’s father is always yelling, Serenity Now!….it’s so funny.

This picture is from a hike the kids and Danny and I took in the old Camp Todd. Originally, Mikey and I had gone, but we did not go to this spot, we only went as far as the lake; then Aly and I went, and went half way around the lake; then all three of us hiked to this spot which is directly across the lake from where Mikey and I first went.

And of course Danny the Dog was on all three outings.

It’s amazing what a hike in the woods can do for you. It can really bring back some peace of mind. Leave all the bullshit behind, take a walk, and just experience a lack of crap….. At least that’s how it starts out.

Then you keep walking and you begin to realize that the crap that the crap is being replaced by something else, something timeless, perfect, harmonious. It’s just trees, rock, sky and water, and it’s all so perfect.

The trail can be rocky, and sometimes you need to focus on where you are stepping, but there are no egg shells.  There’s no right or wrong, just trees, rock, sky and water, and you, walking, climbing, sitting.

It’s funny when I went with Aly. That time, before we left the house, we lost something and we spent about a half hour looking for it – I spent a half hour looking and cursing.  We finally found the lost object  and we were able to get on the road for our hike, but it had left me in a pissed mood because it put us behind schedule – only so much time in the day.

But Aly and I hike out and were sitting on the opposite side of the lake from where this picture was taken, and she’s like, “So you have your peace back?”….and yes, yes I did.

This time was a nice hike because it was the first time to the other side of the lake. The rock formation over there is pretty cool, and on a still day it’s tough to see the line where the reflection in the lake and the reality of the rocks meet.

We have a lot of exploring to do around these parts, different trails, and even in this particular spot we have different rocks we plan on climbing.

And there’s another type of exploring, and not sure where it leads or whether it matters, and it’s the idea of finding peace out there. Is it something that’s there, or something that’s not there, or a little bit of both.

http://www.co.bergen.nj.us/bcparks/maps/RAMAPO%20RESERVATION%20TRAILS.pdf