The Difference Between "F - it" and Faith

Despite what you might think from some of my past writings, I am not always full of faith. In fact, I have plenty of moments where the phrase, “F – it” goes through my mind. I’m betting most people have similar thoughts. While other’s thoughts might not be as offensive as mine, everyone has their moments thinking, “What’s the use?”, “Why keep on trying?” or simply, “I give up!”

 I have found that the best thing I can do when I’m having an “F – it” kind of day, is to go for a long walk out in nature. I am especially drawn to the woods. A little disclaimer here: I go for walks in the woods many days. This doesn’t mean that every walk is due to me having an “F – it” kind of day. Rather, I have found that regardless my state of mind or mood when I start my walk, it has always improved by the end of my walk.

 My walks are more soul exercise than physical exercise. While I’ve always liked walking in nature, my dog, Levi has taught me to take in my surroundings, rather than hurry past them. He likes to stop and sniff often on our walks. I used to hurry him along, but eventually started looking closely at nature every time he stopped to sniff. Clouds, trees, flowers, insects, birds and animals all started grabbing my attention. Soon after, I started carrying a camera along on our walks. As I began to see the mystery and miracles of this world all around me in nature, I started photographing them.

Right about the time I started carrying my camera along on walks, I had decided to focus on the word “faith” for a year, in place of making a New Year’s resolution. Also about that time, I came across a tree in the shape of an “F”. And I thought, “F for faith,” and snapped a couple pictures. Over the next several months, I also found the letters, a, i, t, and h in the woods. And, of course I snapped pictures of each of them. I loved the fact that I had literally found faith spelled out on my walks.

 While I found the letters to faith within a short period of time, it actually took me longer to realize that every walk I took bolstered my faith. Whether I stopped to look at the intricate details of a wildflower, or listened to a chickadee greeting me, I was mesmerized. Whether fragrant blossoms adorned the trees, colorful autumn leaves were falling or bare branches awaited the promise of spring, I could relate to the trees. When I spotted a deer and noticed she was watching me too, I felt connection.

A couple of years later, as I walked by the “F” tree on a walk once again, it occurred to me that “F – it” can be found in the word “Faith”.  The only difference between “F – it” and Faith is that Faith also contains the letters “a” and “h”.

“Ah.”

I find myself witnessing many “ah” moments on my walks. And it's precisely in those “ah” moments that I find in nature, that my attitude of “F – it” is transformed to an attitude of Faith.