A Country Mile

Have you ever thought about that term 'A country mile'? That is what basically started this whole trip. A mile down a dirt road.
I have been overweight for a number of years. I prefer the term 'well rounded'. You know its time to do something when the baby weight you gained has not only multiplied but the baby is 24.
It was time. The day was February 26, 2010 and I decided I could walk that country mile. From the top of my driveway to the west end of my road is almost a mile. And I could do it. Just barely. As I dragged myself the last few feet where my road meets with Rte. 35 I thought this is it, I am going to die here. My body will fall into the ditch and not be found till spring.
You have to realize on a dirt road there are no shoulders to pull over onto. There are ditches. Some are not very deep and some can swallow a car whole. My road has both kinds. And I am sure the ditch that I was about to go into was the kind that would swallow me whole.
But I had made it.  And unfortunately I had to make it back home. But as you can guess I did it and continued doing it. Not every day I don't have that kind of determination. But I did keep going out. Sometimes in snow, wind and rain. I kept walking that country mile. Through mud season, spring, black flies, summer, deer flies, fall, frost and now snow, I keep walking that mile. I figure I have walked over 460 miles down my dirt road. It is easier now by it is not easy.
I have seen this road through 4 seasons. Really seen it. Not driven down the road and quickly glanced at the scenery. I have stopped, listened, looked and been amazed. That is what I want to share. There is a lot of craziness in the world. But there is beauty, peace and grace if you look for it. Mine is in 1 mile of road.
Not to say I won't mention other places. I am hoping now that I am 40 lbs lighter that there are some other places for me to walk. Places that reveal themselves to me as this road has done.
Did I tell you that this is not an 'original' dirt road? No, the 'original' road is asleep up in the woods not too far from the road I walk. But that is another story.