Embracing the Fog

Embracing the Fog
            Fog is a paradoxical thing. At the western edge of San Francisco, we have a love-hate relationship with it.
            Buried under the grayest misty skies, we drive twenty blocks east and burst past the gray wall into sunshine. People wearing short sleeves wonder why I’m wearing a down jacket and scarf.
            But sometimes the whole city, if not the whole region, is immersed in fog.
            On the densest days, you can’t see ten feet in front of you. Like blinding snowstorms, the heaviest fog makes for hazardous driving.
            Thick white mist enveloping everything in a sense of mystery has a quirky appeal. What’s around the next corner? We can guess by the hazy shape ahead, but we can’t be sure until we either come face to face with the object, or the fog clears.
            Not clearly seeing what’s in front of us can be unnerving, but there’s also something comforting about the embrace of a soft, buffering fluffiness. That unfocused haze, not having a clear view ahead, can be liberating.
            We can’t control everything about our futures, personally or as a general society, so in uncertain times, let yourself float in innocent blindness temporarily. Stop to sense the elements of calm and quiet for a moment.
            A more well-defined reality, and your ability to navigate it, will emerge of its own accord when the fog lifts.
            This week’s Hike Notes are from the archives, Dragonfly Creek to Fort Scott - Presidio, a relatively short but interesting walk in San Francisco’s Presidio, with the photo above showing Fort Scott in a sudden blast of fog.
            The long list of Hikes can be found on the Quick View Hike List and on the main Hikes page. All past Insights posts can also be viewed in the Insights/Hike Update News archives.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Please feel free to share.
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 107): Dragonfly Creek to Fort Scott - Presidio