“It’s almost funny, to keep encountering obstacles like relentless ocean waves. Thank goodness for the blessing side of things, sometimes harder to discern but powerful. So what, you can’t walk from the car into the store, without wincing in pain. You worked that knee hard, don’t deny it. It’s brought in many dollars for you, & now its payback time. But despite all that, if you read maps, and you’ve found something mysterious, this might be the perfect day for a drive. It had stuck in my mind: Pumpkin Rim. Not far off the track of a previous exploration. But here’s what actually happened. Almost stuck heading down a ravine at a cow gate, I decided not to look for West Brookfield. Not today, anyway, not this way. It’s always disappointing to admit defeat, turn around and you have to make up for it somehow. So, I defied the odds by ignoring up a few “No Outlet” signs. Usually, I like to do the “dead end” kind of reconnaissance with a partner, but unfortunately your partners aren’t always there, so you take your chances. The best one, I saved for last. No road sign, but I knew better. A classic “Mud Pond” trajectory. But rather than get into all that, what I want to say is this. You can lose so many things, and then some. You can fall out of step with your former associates, and never find your way back. The earth you assumed was “terra firma”, well ... think again. When complete ego demolition comes to call and everything you thought was cool about yourself is on the chopping block, might as well go with the flow. People will be pissed at you, who thought they knew you. As your indifference grows to being assessed by others, as you start to express every ounce of what has been repressed and violated, a few may shy away. So be it. The proof is in how hard you’ve put yourself into opening your brain. No one don’t know anymore. The hills are changing and you mustn’t lose a grip on the huge tracts and parts that are still wild. Don’t sit at home, no. Throw her into gear. It’s an opportunity to stop chanting the narrative. Disengage, using the clutch of innocence, so you can see where the portals are. Vermont countryside on the one hand, is just a bunch of roads. But, whoa. Comfort zones mean nothing out here because paradise requires courage and a good pair of shoes.”
