Roots on the Trail, Middle Head Trail, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia, Canada

Fujifilm X-T2, Landscape, Poetry

by Patrick JenningsAug 23, 20237:00 am

Roots

Thoughts take root in my mind
Distractions laid upon the clear path
Undermine rhythm and pace
Obscure the way

Stop

Breathe

Let go the thoughts
Let go of thinking
Let go the desire for distraction

Breathe

Let in the clarity of The Way

Breathe

The true path revealed

Breathe

Step

Breathe

Step, step

I cannot think the path into being
I cannot follow what is not already there

Roots
Middle Head Trail
Cape Breton Highlands National Park,
Nova Scotia, Canada

Taken during travels, 2023

9Comment

1

Dancing Echoes on Aug 23, 2023 at 8:12 am
Reply

First, I love everything about this pix to words. I absolutely love Cape Breton -it is one of my favorite places on earth. Interestingly, two weeks ago I had the words from Cheryl Strayed tattooed on my arm, “When the path reveals itself, follow it”. But I also want to explore the possibility of forging my own path. Can we not create one that isn’t already there? Just thinking out load.

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- 2
  
  Patrick Jennings on Aug 23, 2023 at 12:27 pm
  Reply
  
  Thank you so very much. More reply later, but in the meantime… is there anything in Cape Breton I absolutely should not miss?
  
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  - 3
    
    Dancing Echoes on Aug 23, 2023 at 4:48 pm
    Reply
    
    The Skyline Trail and rocks at Pleasant Cove are beautiful. Loved the Bog Trail because I am crazy for all things bogs. I remember a really cool tumble down of huge rocks along the road and I can’t remember exactly where, but I think it was along the west side of CB -it may or may not have been in the park. I also can’t remember if it was Green Cove Trail or probably further south on Middle Head Trail along the NE coast, but there was a spectacular point at which the current of Gulf of St. Lawrence hit the Atlantic. There was absolutely zero mixing. There was a distinct current line and the water on the NW St. Lawrence side was sea green and turbid and on the SE Atlantic side it was a dark violet blue and clear. I was awestruck at the contrast. I did some diving along the way but that area was definitely a nope. Way too dangerous.
    
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    - 4
      
      Patrick Jennings on Aug 25, 2023 at 12:03 am
      Reply
      
      Got the Skyline at sunset. 🙂 (photos to come) Missed the rocks. 😦
      
      Bog trail was fun… photographed a pitcher plant. 🙂
      
      Rather than complete the Cabot Trail loop, I opted to revisit the East side to explore the North Cape (it was raining hard when I went around the top, so skipped it then) and photograph sunset at White Point. Now I’m heading for Newfoundland. Anyway, I didn’t see the big rocks, so they must be further south than Cheticamp.
      
      Maybe the confluence of St. Lawrence and Atlantic is an ephemeral thing, shifting up and down the coast? I didn’t notice anything at Middle Head or Green Cove (Middle Head is a particularly lovely hike.), and I couldn’t find any mention of it in the park literature or online about the phenomenon.
      
      Are you sure it wasn’t somewhere further north, around Meat Cove?
      
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      - 5
        
        Dancing Echoes on Aug 25, 2023 at 3:42 am
        Reply
        
        It absolutely could have been Meat Cove. It was at the peak but I can’t remember getting off the Cabot so I wasn’t sure but that makes sense and I must have. I looked at current maps and it could shift around too. It also makes sense that the rocks were before Cheticamp. I stayed there that night after driving from Campobello and I remember them being early in the travels. This was the 80’s…
        I can’t wait to see your photos of Newfoundland. That is on my must see list. There is something special to me about the northeast. It is hard to describe but it feels familiar and like home. As if I have lived there in a past life.
        
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- 6
  
  Patrick Jennings on Aug 24, 2023 at 8:45 am
  Reply
  
  As to your question… yes we can. <smile> Of course we can.
  
  The poem, for me, is primarily concerned with the “living in my head” problem. The one which has me overthinking every nuance of life, but also is used as a distraction from taking on unpleasant tasks, the so-called “inevitable paths” of life which, if I fail to take on by choice, inevitably and forcefully place themselves under foot.
  
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- 7
  
  Patrick Jennings on Aug 25, 2023 at 12:11 am
  Reply
  
  🙂 Love the Cheryl Strayed quote, and that it parallels words I wrote in a place we both love.
  
  Cape Breton Highlands National Park is stunning, as is the northern cape above it. By far, the highlight of this trip so far.
  
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8

Hammad Rais on Aug 23, 2023 at 8:39 am
Reply

Stop & breath!
This is really amazing 🙂

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- 9
  
  Patrick Jennings on Aug 24, 2023 at 11:44 pm
  Reply
  
  Thank you, Hammad! 🙂
  
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