A Sense Of Wonder

The Kortum Trail winds along three miles of some of the most spectacular coastline that Sonoma County has to offer. On clear days the northernmost point of Point Reyes National Seashore is visible far to the south. At various times throughout the year, humpback and grey whales, dolphins, sea lions and harbor seals can be observed cavorting just off shore. Pelicans, oyster catchers, cormorants, surf scoters, terns and of course gulls are among the diverse seabird population. Guano covered sea stacks large and small dot the coastline. When the marine layer is absent the view to the west is limitless. This trail has been a go-to of mine and Carol’s for years. Yesterday we discovered something along the trail that had been hiding from us in plain sight.

At its midpoint the Kortum Trail switches back down the side of a narrow canyon to a small, semi-secluded beach. The final access to this beach is via a weathered wooden bridge that spans a narrow creek bed. When the creek is flowing it’s possible to simultaneously hear its bubbling music and the roar of the surf. About halfway across the bridge on its lichen covered top rail, this tiny metal plaque had been attached:

It’s impossible to determine how long this plaque has been here. The nails that affix the plaque to the wood are totally rusted over and the plaque itself looks fairly weathered, but who knows? I do know that we’ve crossed this bridge many times and neither of us had ever noticed it. What’s clear to me is that a lot of thought went into the placement of this plaque. Someone went through the trouble of having it professionally made, hiked out here and made a conscious decision to place it at this exact spot. I wonder if this person has placed additional plaques with this message at similarly scenic and inspiring spots? I do believe that they have hit on a truism. One of the keys to getting the most out of life and having a deeper appreciation for the natural world is to retain a childlike sense of wonder. When I stop to think about it, I’m filled with wonder wherever I look: How is it that purple and yellow wildflowers, complimentary colors, always seem to bloom beside one another? How can hummingbirds fly up, down AND  sideways? Their wings beat 70 times per second, how is that possible? A redwood seed can fit easily on the head of a dime. How can a tree that can reach over 300 feet tall and live more than 2,000 years come from something so small? How does our cat always know to be waiting out front for us the moment we return home? How are my children’s eyes so beautiful? I wonder, is that really the ocean that I’m hearing when I hold a seashell up to my ear? Hooded orioles fly thousands of miles from their winter home in southern Mexico to the exact fan palm tree in my neighbor’s backyard every spring. How the hell do they always find that same tree? What mysterious acts of fate could have brought John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr together? Did one band really create all of that music? I understand the scientific explanation for rainbows yet am still filled with wonder whenever one appears in a rainy sky. Waves never stop breaking on the shore, that’s  just incredible! Green plants eat sunlight and breathe out oxygen…wow! The phases of the moon…sunset colors…whale spouts… quiet mornings… feathers… dreams… love. It’s a good day indeed!