When Life Gives You a Rocky Road - Walk on It!

Terry and I have always enjoyed taking long walks, so when we first moved to Ottawa from Montreal, we began to explore our new neighborhood on foot. The first time we rambled around a park near our apartment, an older couple approached us from the opposite direction, smiling.

Hello. Lovely day isn't it? they said as they passed.

We smiled and nodded.

When they were gone, I turned to Terry and asked: How do you know them?

I've never seen them before, Terry replied. I guess people here in Ottawa are friendly - and talk to strangers.

In our downtown Montreal neighborhood, we would never have thought of greeting a random stranger...

Since then, the Ottawa habit of greeting strangers - especially when out walking - has become normal for us, too. So I wasn't surprised recently when a woman about my age - seeing me take pictures of the construction on the street - stopped and commented about mess the streets were in.














We chatted for a few minutes, exchanging information about the progress (or lack of progress) around us. Then she continued on down the rock-strewn road - while I headed for some nearby pavement.

You're walking on the rocks, I commented. I try to avoid them.














They're just like walking in the Arctic, she replied. I was in the Arctic last year. I got used to walking on rocks. It's good exercise - good for strengthening the ankles.

(Really?! She didn't look like an Arctic adventurer... But she did teach me something: When life presents you with a rocky road... walk on it! You never know what you might be strengthening...)