the baby moose

I had an amazing weekend, it was one of those times where life is exactly the way you hope it will be... (okay, except for Sunday evening of course, but we'll ignore that for now... )

I was in New Hampshire, living life... skiing, snow-shoe-ing, enjoying friends... the scenery... the relaxation... the laughter...

While we were snow-shoeing along this lovely trail through the snow covered trees - birches, pines, etc., we were told there was a baby moose up ahead on the trail... and as in all of life, sometimes we choose to take a journey or path, and sometimes we don't... I choose the path of following the moose. I'd never seen a moose in the wild, and knew if I didn't try, I would always be sorry that I hadn't... After hearing he was running in the same direction I was going, I was getting ready to give up, and photographed his tracks in the snow as a consolation, but I couldn't quite let go... I knew I had to keep trying a little longer... About 20 minutes later I saw him up ahead, and my breath caught... He was young, and scared, and trying to get off of the trail but I think he was afraid... Everytime he came our way, we got off the trail to allow him to pass, but he'd see us and go back the other way where he'd meet up with some cross-country skiiers, and change his direction again... he didn't know what to do... My heart was going out to this enormous child, trying to make his way... Eventually, one of the times he came toward us we were well enough hidden that he came our way, when he was not 10 feet from me, he saw me and and heard my camera, and ran off up the hill through the trees... It was such a beautiful sight seeing him where he belonged, watching him galloping through the trees with such grace for such an enormous creature, I was happy that he was free of the path he was following and of the people he was afraid of... He found his courage to go where he belonged... What an honor it was to be in the presence of such a magnificent animal...

sometimes the journey is such a magical one...