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I’m not quite sure how to explain it. A seemingly simple and unassuming moment has been trapped in my mind over the last 24 hours. Maybe I’m losing it, which is likely true, but there might be more to it.  It started with a simple text from my buddy Jeff Longo on Wednesday night “Gonna hit up Latta for a 5-mile run tomorrow if you’re interested”. Latta which is 2 right turns and 7 minutes from my house is technically the 1360 acre Latta Nature Preserve.  Latta Nature Preserve In my opinion, a hidden gem in the Charlotte, NC area with over 16 miles of picturesque lakefront trails, horse stables, Carolina Raptor Center, public kayak launches, Historic Latta Plantation, and oodles of wildlife. I am a frequent consumer for all of the reasons mentioned above.  Carolina Raptor Center  Historic Latta Plantation Some back-and-forth text banter resulted in the realization that weather may not be in our favor for our morning rendezvous. Feeling frisky, I turned to my typical exclamation that “there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear”, a comment that most likely pisses off and encourages my friends in equal proportion. As expected, Jeff easily fell into the encouraged camp. I’ve known Jeff personally and professionally for years. A former NHL front office executive, current college professor, founder of Sports Biz Camps, and daily active type all jive with what I appreciate about a well-balanced life. It was great to catch up over some trail miles and to learn about his family’s recent 3-week RV trip to north of nowhere Vermont. We stopped on multiple occasions during the run to admire and comment on the overcast, drizzly, and somewhat haunted scenery that we were running through on a cold and misty February morning.  Latta Nature Preserve Trails Around an exposed rocky bend that dipped towards the lake on Cove Trail, I stopped dead in my tracks. I’ve run this exact trail no less than 25 times before. At this stage, I’m familiar with the twists, turns and views throughout the entire trail system. Something about this particular moment struck me differently.  The Man in the Mist A singular image mostly engulfed by the dreary beauty of the scene. A lone fisherman was embracing the day in a way that was pure to him. We didn’t catch his name or any information for that matter but felt a strong and immediate connection. We bonded through the simple concept of enjoying our natural resources and embracing the moment in misty silence. It was an understated moment. No extra bells or whistles. We didn’t share Carolina blue skies or warm springtime temps, but we did share a head nod of acknowledgment, of mutual respect, of gratitude. That moment has stuck with me. I appreciated it greatly. What could’ve easily been an overcast day to just stay inside was anything but. I’ll update my previous exclamation, to “there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad mindset”. Life offers so many chances to experience these small moments. I encourage you to seek them out and embrace them. Thanks for the text Jeff, let’s do it again soon.  Journal - The Man in the MistArchives December 2021 Comments are closed.
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