I didn’t realize it was so hot when I left for my walk. All I saw was the beautiful blue sky and fluffy white clouds. It was the type of hot and humid day that you hoped people had their sprinklers on so you could feel the moment of cool when the water hit you.

I walked with a purpose. That had not been my original intent. I had wanted to “stalker walk” – the kind of walk where you are checking out the neighborhood- looking in windows and observing  from the sidewalk as you walked by.

I did not see it until it was right in front of me. A massive tree had branches covering the sidewalk. I looked for minute to decide which way was the better way to go around it.

It was then that I noticed an opening-a place where the branches parted just enough to sneak in under the branches.

I sneaked in.

It was a relief. The heat of the day was instantly cooled. The humidly was still there but the break from the hot sun was immediate. I soaked up the cool air and then started looking around.

I was in a cathedral of branches. The crisscrossing of branches formed a dome that allowed a little sunlight to filter through. It was quiet. I stood in the center and slowly turned around to take it all in. I had found the neighborhood children’s play spot.There were some toys scattered around. It felt as if they had been dropped when Mom called them inside for the night.

It was a wonder of nature. I wished I had my camera but then I knew it could never capture what I was feeling.

After a minute or two of observing quietly, I knew I had to move on. The peace I felt inside stayed with me for the rest of the walk.

Thanks for reading.