What could be achieved by walking along a broken road that disappears into the waters of Salt Fork Lake? This was my excuse for rushing past the abandoned road time after time. The road is a remnant of Rte.22 that was rerouted for the development of the lake.
Last Friday morning I was stressing over everything I needed to do before day’s end. I was feeling overwhelmed with my ‘recovery from abuse’ journey. Walking a road to nowhere was suddenly appealing.
After driving less than ten minutes I pulled off Rte. 22 and parked. A few steps up an embankment and I reached the broken road. There is something ominous about a road that disappears into water. I felt excitement, but also a little fear. The quiet was noticeable; I tried but could not visualize the farm tractors, cars, trucks, Grey Hound buses and semi’s that had once traveled the abandoned roadway.
My mind slowed in the morning’s stillness. I reconsidered my to-do list and saw that there would be plenty of time to do everything needing done before day’s end. Several deep breaths of the lake air and my recovery journey no longer appeared as overwhelming or distressing. The day began to look good.
Sometimes taking the road to nowhere is necessary in order to slow down and live in the moment we are given. For me, that road was the broken road that slips into the water.
For more Salt Fork Lake stories, read, Going Home, Exploring Old Foundations and A Case for Leaving the Beaten Path.
I love this. Sometimes we need the quiet that comes on the road to nowhere. Other times the road surprises us and ends up right where we needed to be.