Most Sunday mornings find me at the Pinery Provincial Park on the shores of Lake Huron. Being on the trails running and walking off the stress of the week, absorbing a good dose of Mother Nature, has been one of my rituals for a number of years.  Regardless of the weather, in my mind, there is nothing better than being “outside”.  Feeling the wind of the Carolinian forest and listening to the crash of the waves humbles me and restores my spirit … I love fresh air.

As I pounded the trails this week, I was licking my wounds from a less than successful attempt at an oral exam.  I felt awful.  While my mind knows my performance was “iffy”, my heart was still tender and sad.  I have invested a lot of time and energy attempting to complete this goal – missing the mark sucks.

At the end of 10km, having worked out my disappointment, I sat by the Old Ausable River Channel thinking about this experience. I tried bravely to find some learning, but was not very successful.  From the corner of my eye, a cute chipmunk came into my vision and I watched it with curiosity.

I noticed this particular chipmunk was trying to stuff yet another acorn into it’s over stretched cheeks. I almost laughed out loud and wondered where in the world it was going to find the space to stuff it in and what it would feel like stretching its cheeks that much.  After a few attempts the chipmunk just couldn’t manage and dropped the acorn then scampered off.

I was totally intrigued when after a few minutes the same chippy was back, without the baggage, and swiftly stuffed that same acorn into its mouth and then went about collecting more acorns.  Now I knew this was a natural lesson.

So … if a chipmunk could drop something and come right back to pick it up why couldn’t I find the same innate courage to do the same?  Was the chipmunk not skilled at scooping acorns or did it just have no further capacity?  Perhaps I was trying to chew off too much at once and an acorn dropped.

I smiled and appreciated this natural perspective … this was not a life ending event.  After all, I was successful at collecting a number of other acorns; I did pass my written exam, I have been building a successful coaching practice, I did just run 10km of trails.  Perhaps when I get rid of some old baggage, I will go back to scoop up that acorn and finally crack that nut of the oral exam.

Feeling more acceptance with the natural balance of my life, I picked myself up and brushed myself off and continued down the trail.  Since it was a little too cool to jump into Lake Huron, I decided to do one more hike and muse about what other acorns I may choose to go back and pick up.