Walking and Falling

On a recent weekend retreat to a state park about an hour south of here, I rose early in the morning for a walk at dawn. Alone with my thoughts. Alone with my God.

Fog was thick across the lake. You could barely see the end of the dock. A footpath seemed to circle around lakeside, and I chose to follow it to the left.

A song came into my head and I found myself singing. Alone with my thoughts. Alone with my God.

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol' way
And who shall wear the robe & crown?
Good Lord show me the way

O brothers let's go down
Let's go down, come on down
Come on brothers, let's go down
Down in the river to pray

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol' way
And who shall wear the starry crown?
Good Lord show me the way

Suddenly I fell. Hard. Flat on my butt. Walking down some wooden timber steps my feet simply flew out from under me, and I came down with an unholy thud.

I must have made a sound — a grunt? a curse? — because I could see the heads of two fishermen in a boat in the lake both look in my direction. Did they see me? Apparently not. They immediately went back to watching their lines.

I got up brushed myself off and walked on, gingerly, slowly making my way down the remaining timbers and along the leafy path.

O sinners, let's go down
Let's go down, come on down
O sinners, let's go down
Down in the river to pray

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol' way
And who shall wear the robe and crown?
Good Lord show me the way

Then I stepped on a boardwalk over a dry creek bed, and it happened again. This time my right foot slid away from me and off the edge of the treated lumber bridge. I came down on my left knee which slid across the slippery boardwalk and barely caught myself with the heel of my hands, preventing a face plant but sending my glasses flying off my face where they hung dangling between two boards.

Let's go down, come of down
O sinners, let's go down

Okay, Lord. You've got my attention.

Did you have to be so literal?

Okay. I guess you did.

Good Lord, show me the way.