Plain Living for High Thinking
Sunrise over the Potomac River from high on the Matildaville Trail in Great Falls National Park.
Dear Parents,
As I mentioned in my April letter, I had the distinct pleasure of visiting Charlotte Mason’s beloved Lake District in England last summer. My husband and I stayed in the heart of Ambleside, at the Temperance Inn. The most wonderful part of our time there was the amount of time we spent outdoors, even in the rain!
One of my favorite walks ran between Grasmere and Rydal Mount. We went from the early and modest home of William Wordsworth — Dove Cottage in Grasmere — to his much more opulent later home in Rydal Mount.
“Plain living and high thinking” is how Wordsworth’s time at Dove Cottage was later described by author Thomas de Quincey, who lived there after the Wordsworths moved to Rydal Mount. William’s sister Dorothy left many writings about their time at the cottage property spent writing, reading, and observing the nature all around them.
This idea of plain living for high thinking took hold of me in England, and I began to incorporate it more deeply on my own nature hikes. I’ve scouted out quite a few trails in our area, and my favorite ones to hike are in Great Falls National Park, on the Virginia side.
The lesser known trails, Matildaville, Ridge Connector, and Swamp Trail wind through the backcountry, away from the more crowded River Trail. On my usual circuit, the elevation change is considerable. I’m able to see across the Potomac to Maryland at the highest point and walk among the skunk cabbage at the lowest.
It is here, on these trails, that I have what I call my weekly “Head of School walk.”
Three years ago, at Ambleside Schools International’s yearly principals conference, Dr. Bill St. Cyr suggested that each of us spend one hour per week seeking the Lord for His direction for our respective communities.
This last year I have been pretty faithful with that, walking on most Thursday mornings. Before school and as soon as the park opens, I walk, pray, and listen. I love these times and look forward to my walks through that park.
And it’s on my bucket list to continue my Thursday morning walks throughout the summer. The cost for an annual pass is well worth it. It has been the best $35 I’ve spent in a long time.
Wordsworth was able to write the things he did, in part, because of his practice of plain living for high thinking. He was unencumbered from the trappings of his day.
This summer, consider a similar attitude with how you spend your time. Good books, walks through woods, a splash in a creek, and even a long linger on your front porch can yield much more than you can imagine.
Wishing you a most excellent summer holiday,
Krise