Grounded by nature (no pun intended)
by Rosemary Skinner (Rosie)
Even as a child, when making the long car trip to see my maternal grandparents,I would escape as soon as we got there and said hello, and walk along a small creek and field that bordered their property. Another favorite place was a small college nearby that had walking trails connected by hanging wooden bridges. Our grandfather would take several of us on long walks there and he picked mushrooms for dinner, as he knew which ones were safe to eat, due to his many years as a farmer in Edinboro,Pennsylvania. Fast forward to my adult years working as a nurse in an urban city hospital and then in a suburban school. My stress reliever once again became the outdoors. I was delighted to walk outside after work with our family dog, once my sons were able to be left alone as they grew into young men. I also have an affinity for animals, as I recall my feelings for my childhood dog and then for the dog we got for our kids. Always felt so peaceful with the woods and an animal hiking at my side. After a leg injury sidelined me for a while, I almost lost hope that I would never be able to enjoy that activity again. Now, although older and left with some residue of the injury, I can again enjoy walking outside in the various parks around my neighborhood, just learning to not push as fast or as far. And have recently acquired another dog walking partner.
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