It was a sparkling day. It was a great day for the race-the human race. For me that meant a walk outside was just the prescription for mind and soul. But it was cold. Truthfully, below zero cold. Don’t become anxious, the temperature was minus about 3. There was a northwest wind, that meant if I foolishly faced the wind my cheeks would chill. But you can turn your back on windchill. I did often that day. Another fact in this winter below zero walk is clothes. There really is no such thing as bad weather-it’s bad clothes. I dressed for the cold: heavy insulated parka with hood (never used it…never needed it.), wind breaking insulated bib-overalls, wool socks and insulated boots and insulated leather outside-mittens. Yes, its more effort to move with heavy clothing, but my goal was a walk and all the benefits that go with it.

I call this “Walking a Story.” There are few humans in our circles of friends who do not like a good story. All stories tap into our search for meaning in life. It’s my experienced opinion that a nature walk is one of the premier places to develop a story with meaning. A nature walk is a non-fiction story. It’s true. You are the eye witness. Walking a story in nature provides every walker with numerous benefits. Walking a story reveals order. Our senses communicate the structure and systems present in the natural world. While we may not express the fact that we are witnessing systems in order, the truth of nature order is internalized in our minds. Our senses reveal the beauty of nature. Beauty recharges and heals our souls. Walking a nature story exposes the power found in the natural world. The power of nature is everywhere. Wait for the examples. Walking a nature story shows every walker earth’s stability. Gravity always works, water always forms ice below 32 degrees. Our senses unwrap the creativity in nature, it’s seen, heard, can be touched even smelled and tasted. Perhaps the most powerful thing about walking a nature story is every walk begins to unlock the mystery of another world: nature. Yes! We like stories. Good news! You can walk your own stories; it’s free.

Sunshine makes a day sparkle. But there is more to it than bright sunshine. The crisp cold below zero air put a shine on that day. So did the north wind, but it was the sky that provided the majesty which crowns a sparkling day. There were few clouds, but their whiteness contrasted with the deep blue created the spectacular canopy that completed the sparkle of the day. We know days like that. It’s wonderful to be alive. My memory brings up first the effort of sitting on the fallen willow tree at the shore of the lake. I used it for a seat to put on my ice cleats. Remember stability? This willow log has been on the shore of the lake for years. It’s a personal landmark. Not only for me either, the muskrat has sat there often. Its scat was proof. I was careful to choose my own spot on the log.

With ice cleats on, the second part of the journey awaited me. It was the hike across the lake. Nearly every body of water on earth has a name. This one is Wright Lake. During this walk, the lake was entirely ice covered. Not simply an inch of ice, but more than a ruler’s length of ice separated my feet from the liquid water of Wright Lake. We mentioned that walking your story provides beauty. There was no snow on this lake ice. Picture over 12 inches (hold a ruler vertically) of blue ice. Now visualize the webbing of expansion cracks over the entire surface. Need another example of both power and stability? Ice is in a constant state of change. Air temperature causes it to freeze more deeply, changing temperature also causes it to expand and contract. On this day the lake ice was quiet. You should hear the music ice makes when expanding and contracting. Delightful-and frightening if you don’t understand the source. There was more to the ice than cracks. There were myriads of bubbles formed by the liquid water below as the ice developed on the surface. Clear ice like this is mesmerizing. I could wander the lake like a sugar addicted child in a gourmet candy shop looking for the next beauty; snow white bubbles, spider web cracks that run off into distance too far to see, or just staring down at the mystery of liquid water beneath my feet. Being a fisherman, my mind quickly goes to the question, “What fish are swimming down there?” Yes, there’s mystery when you walk your own story. There is power as well. Not one of us can make water turn to ice.

Eventually my steps took me to the forest of Burr Oak, Red Oak, Ironwood, Basswood, Ash, Birch and Aspen on the south shore of the lake. To do so required me to break away from gawking at the beauty of the ice, it was made easier by the knowledge that there were mysteries to see in the forest. One of them was the White-tailed Deer. By my unofficial estimates there are over 10 in what I’ve respectfully named Wright Lake woods.

Think about power again. Consider the difficulty of actually seeing even one deer. White-tails have smaller blind spots than humans. Our field of view is about 180 degrees. The White-tail field of view is over 300. Think of it as being able to see behind your back. Neither of us have ears the size of a deer; nor the hearing. But the super stealth weapon of the white-tail is its sense of smell. You and I have approximately 5 million scent receptors. Before you puff up in pride, the white-tail is believed to possess nearly 300 million!

Therefore, I did not have great expectations that I would see a deer. I did attempt to keep my scent away from the deer to the west of my walking path. One uncontrollable factor was the exceptionally hard crunchy snow. There are many unmistakable, frequently used deer trails. My first choice was to walk on them. It was easier, and quieter; but still very crunchy. Try it sometime; find a place where the white-tailed deer chooses to live. Then set a goal of seeing one. One of the clearest illustrations of nature power is the ability of the white-tailed deer to elude being seen.

Walking your own story never fails when the walk is in a nature space. There were many other things that caught my eye. The low on the horizon sun light illuminated the tree trunks and cast eye pleasing shadows. Sunlight back lit the filigree thin stalks of moss on a downed oak log. My eyes constantly scanned for the motionless silhouette of an owl. The fresh tracks of deer spoke of their presence and there was another thing which brought great delight; silence.

What may be the most important thing any of us can discover when we walk a story? In my view, its silence. In silence we find power, order, stability, beauty, and mystery wrapped in a soundless package of wonder. There was a powerful amount of silence on this walk. There was a feeling of contentment in my heart as a glance at the sun told me daylight was departing for another winter day,

Let me provide you with free advice given by one who knows the value of walking your story. The advice?

Walk your story.

The benefits: improved health, increase in memory and observation skill, noticeably less stress, satisfaction; even joy and delight; and the discovery of what deep silence will do for your personal well being. Expect a surprise. Every story walker feels a presence. God the Creator walks with you.

So, walk your story. Walk with a partner, be surprised. Their story will differ from yours.