Idaho Empty Nester: Find the Quiet Center

This past Sunday my pastor preached about keeping the Sabbath. She pointed out that in Genesis it wasn’t God who needed rest on the seventh day; it’s an example for us. We sang “Come and Find the Quiet Center,” a peaceful hymn that reminds me to take time to be still. We all need a day of rest. In Bible study my pastor stated that I am probably the one who has the hardest time with this. Unfortunately, I think she’s right.

I am over-committed and tired. I do need to take time to rest. I am actually doing that right now. On Tuesday evening my husband and I arrived at our favorite campground along the Salmon River; we were lucky to get one of the best campsites right next to the river. Now it’s Thursday morning and soon it will be time to pack up and go home. I’m not ready. I wish I was staying another day.

Yesterday we took our time getting up because it was a cool morning. When we finally emerged from our tent I cooked our breakfast and then we sat for a while and enjoyed the river. We watched rafts and kayaks float by. A bit before noon we left our campsite to do some hiking. The Sawtooth Mountains are magnificent and there are so many choices of trails. We stopped by the ranger station to ask some questions and then we were off. Following instructions, we soon found ourselves on a narrow, rocky dirt road that was not maintained. We have a high clearance vehicle but it’s not four wheel drive. My husband used to do lots of field work in his government job so his experience helped. We had trouble in one spot. He had to get out, move a couple rocks, and recalculate which way to go up the steep grade. We made it past that spot and before long we arrived at the Upper Trailhead for Hell Roaring Lake.

The trail was fairly easy, mostly flat, rocky in places and smooth in others. We were in trees most of the time. Early on we glimpsed some of the tall, snow-covered peaks of the Sawtooths; this encouraged us to go on. Less than a mile out we encountered two logs over the river that we had to cross. One log had a flat, even surface while the other was bumpy and sloped outward. I watched my husband carefully walk over this bridge first. I was so nervous, worried I would fall several feet down to the river below. I was wearing my hiking boots which are great for walking over rocks but are not very flexible when I need to step carefully. Slowly, slowly I successfully made my way across—and then I could breathe again.

Just after I commented that I hadn’t seen any wildflowers, a bunch of tiny daisy type flowers appeared in front of me. I stooped to snap a photo. I take great pleasure in trying to capture some of the beauty I experience on my hikes—my camera is always with me.

After about a 3-mile hike we arrived at Hell Roaring Lake. It was certainly worth the walk. Jagged, snow-covered peaks framed the marshy lake. We sat and ate our snacks, taking in the scenery. I took photos of the lake, the peaks, and my husband. And we just sat. We didn’t stay long because it was getting late and we needed to get back. I had planned a dutch oven dinner and I needed time to prepare it. We returned to camp tired but satisfied.

Hiking 6 miles may not sound like rest but in a way it is. This outing was good for both my body and soul. It was a break from my usual activities and it gave me the chance to appreciate God’s beautiful creation.

This morning I am once again sitting by the river. The sound of the river rushing by is both relaxing and refreshing. Happy people float by in rafts with either paddles or fishing poles in their hands. It is easy to rest here, to observe Sabbath. But once I am home, how do I find the rest I need with so many distractions and demands on my time? Obviously this is something I need to figure out.

Written on 7/7/2016