Hiking in the Woods on a Snowy Afternoon

I needed to get out today. As much as I love to putter around at home, sometimes these four walls seem to close in on me and the only solution is to leave them behind for a while.  Clear the head, breathe in some clean, crisp air, and get some aerobic conditioning going!
So, when Son suggested we go snowshoeing for a bit this afternoon, I agreed. He is lots of fun to be around (most times), has the patience of a saint (sometimes),  possibly has the knowledge of Bear Gryll and Survivorman  wrapped in one (although maybe not all of their experience), and the gear to prove it! 
We drove up the back roads of B’vale until we reached the Lake, our starting point. We parked off to the side of the road,  and hiked along the logging road , then turned left up a sloped trail into the woods.
A couple of  observations about this short excursion into these lovely, dark, and deep woods:
a) I have a very teeny tiny adventuresome bone in my body. So tiny, you would hardly know it’s there. Some would say it’s nonexistent. Especially when it comes to trekking into the woods mid afternoon, up a trail that has been cut by a snowmobiler, with no cell coverage available. Oh, and the starting point is  10 km up a logging road. Somehow having my very capable son with me didn’t ease my tendency to worry. What if it gets dark and we can’t find our way back? What if son has a heart attack and I’m on my own? What if we meet a wild animal?  Looking back, these worries were probably unfounded, but in my mind, a number of scenarios could happen. You find stories like this in the news every week, don’t you?
See any fear in these eyes? :


b) I have a patient, good- humored son, who also enjoys psychoanalyzing me. I think, if his digital art and design career doesn’t work out, he should go into psychology. Sport psychology. Major: the mind in midlife.
My fearless Sherpa:

Anyway, here I am on the computer once again, so you all know how the story ends. Actually, once we reached the summit (albeit a low one), I was all smiles, exuding confidence all over the place,  as we followed our tracks back down to the main road. Son has coined  a psychological term for that syndrome (major apprehension on the way out, nauseating confidence on the way back). He calls it the J.M. Syndrome, not to give away any names for those of you who know my relatives.  ;)
Confidence regained: 

What have I been reminded of, thanks to this expedition?
I need to worry less and live fearlessly more!
Snowshoeing is hard work!
We live in a beautiful part of the world! On our way home, we saw about 10 deer standing together  in a clearing. (my camera battery died, so no picture!)

Getting outside is a good thing, generally speaking.
I appreciate my son’s expertise and will gain more confidence as I get out and do more of these types of things.
I should value and cherish this experience today, because there is the possibility that my son will NEVER take me out to do that again!