Weekly Bread #165

Maybe it’s a northern California thing, but every so often we run across an altar on a trail. It could be set a hollow in a tree, or in a rock crevice. People leave small objects there, things that have some significance for them. It is a form of prayer I think. In any case, it is sweet to find them and realise that I am not alone in sensing the presence of the sacred when I walk in nature.

Maybe I should leave some of my lunch in one of these spots, although that would likely attract bugs or critters, ruining the altar for other purposes. Wilderness rules say to leave no trace, not even an orange peel because they can take a long time to actually decompose and this can disturb the ecological balance of an area. I think the altars are more than OK, however. Much better than the plastic bags of dog poop that are way too common on trails where dogs are allowed. I probably should just pack a smaller lunch to stop my weight from its slow, but scarily steady, upward creep.

My average weight this week is up 1 pound for a total loss of 160.1.