Lost and Found

A gorgeous day, I abandoned my laptop to go hiking. I drove to one of my favorite rural footpaths only to find the access road under repair. Driving further to another scenic trail, I was stopped by more construction. Road workers were conspiring against me! Frustrated, I turned at the next corner with no idea where I was going and simply drove aimlessly down various roads. I landed in an unfamiliar locale but spotted a small lake bordered by trees.
 
Parking, I walked down the lakeside path where a robin bounced on the grass in front of me. Hold on – that was no robin. It was a northern flicker, a plump bird with a long beak, black scalloped plumage on a tan body, and a bright red patch on the back of its head. I’d only seen the gentle looking woodpecker when hiking near Canada, not around my backyard.
 
An amateur birdwatcher, I was delighted! A pair of them scavenged for bugs on the ground. I stopped walking to admire their plumage, living in the wondrous moment. When I got back to my car, there was another northern flicker hopping up a fence post only six feet away.
 
He winked at me.
 
I drove off praising the road workers who sent me down an unpredictable path. I’d forgotten what I learned when driving in Ireland with no GPS: My best discoveries are made when lost.