Day 6, to Kentville. 50 Years in the making.

Thanks to my parents, I got an early start today, about 7:45, in Aylesford. The well-groomed trail continued, and I saw more walkers and bicyclers today. More fields and streams, lovely woods, and even bogs mined for peat were in my view. And a few towns, such as Berwick, filled with artwork. 

This walk, this long walk - a pilgrimage - was a long time coming. Just over fifty years, for me. Perhaps it started with my love of nature and the outdoors, which began in childhood. I might have been only ten or eleven when I first dug up plants in the woods to bring home, like Jack-in-the-Pulpit. For the first time this week, I found a nice one in bloom today.

There is no boring moment for me along the endless gravel trail up the valley. Every plant is a familiar friend, and every birdsong (though most go without me matching them to the right bird). 

I ended up beyond my planned destination today (Coldbrook) and went right on to Kentville. Ended up being about 29.9 kms. My pack was lighter and the weather was exemplary.

Picked up and taken to Wolfville, I got dressed up for a two-day gathering of the Canadian Association for Baptist Freedoms. Here is something else fifty years in the making. I started taking part in this fellowship when I was about 21. Today, we are celebrating the jubilee, about eight months later than planned. 

Here, the host minister gave a talk about our past. It was a synopsis of the early history of this organization that has sought to uphold some Baptist traditions of freedom, free thinking, and support for those who seek to think 'outside the box.' Scott is preparing a complete history of the CABF, publication date somewhere in our future.

Speaking of the future, our presenters on Saturday will offer reflections on our present, and our furure path as a group of Christians of a particular tradition, in a world that has less and less interest of so much of religious tradition. But respect for other faiths and spiritualities must never go out of style. Openness to including people of diverse sexualities must grow. Expanding our thinking about scripture and the life of faith must continue.

So I will not be walking part of my pilgrimage tomorrow. Saturday will be a body break. It can rain all it wants. ;) There will be 'showers of blessing.'