How nature reconnects you to what's real.

Fog had come to the Northwest. Thick blankets of mist and haze cloaking the trees and muffling the sounds of the river. I was bundled up tight in my warmest coat, thickest scarf and down mittens. Alone on the trail.

I've always loved to walk in fog - the thicker the better. It feels like arms wrapping around me and holding me close. Not seeing much beyond my footsteps calms me. Turns my thoughts inward.

With temperatures dipping into the freezing zone for about a week now, trees had discarded most of their Fall splendor. The ground was deep in leaves and pine needles. Once hidden by abundant foliage, bare limbs and branches webbed the sky in a tangle of tree bones. Dark slashes across powder-white mist. Somehow these barren forest sentinels felt more powerful and wise having shed their raucous frock of summer. Even the lowly anonymous bushes possessed an elemental dignity.

No wind. Deep quiet. Raising my gaze from the ground I saw an unexpected blaze of beauty. Each and every pine needle on the trees was tipped in a frozen droplet of dew - as if they had been dipped in diamonds. Tiffany's would have been jealous of such glistening grandeur.

Not to be outdone, neighboring bare-limbed branches were draped in fallen pine needles. Dangling astride the boughs, the needles looked like rhinestone earrings. The forest seemed poised for a royal ball.

All about me the evidence of evolution reminded me that we are all in moments of transition. Springs become Falls. Death becomes renewal. Nature seemed to be settling in for a long, well-deserved sleep. But, under the appearance of pause, life was gathering strength for its debut. All things in their own time.

From somewhere in the distance, a whiff of burning wood filled me with warmth. A family, perhaps, sat at their hearth cupping hot chocolate. Brought together on an early winter's eve morning to remember what's real and what's important. Love and family.

I turned for home, reflective and renewed. Life is good - all of it. I vowed to let go of judging the moment. For, given time, the moment will reveal its own meaning. Better to pay attention than critique. To listen and watch for unexpected glory - like tree bones and pine needle earrings.