I'm Gretchen Rubin and this is a little happier.

I read something recently that has really stuck with me, that put a beautiful image in my

mind that I find great pleasure in reflecting on, although it doesn't have much point.

In his very interesting book, Walking One Step at a Time, Erling Cog recounts how for

12 years, their Norwegian philosopher Arne Ness lived in a remote cabin in the mountains.

Anytime he had visitors, he insisted that people take a different path to his cabin, so

that no one single path would lead to his door.

And as people approached the cabin within a circumference of seven feet, they had to

step only on the rocks that were there, so that the cabin would be in the middle of nature,

with heather, glacier butter cups, and alpine dryad growing.

By changing the path and by using the rocks, he was able to observe the living undisturbed

vegetation from his window.

After he moved out of the cabin, people always chose the most convenient route, as you might

expect, and now there's a single man-made trail that leads to the cabin.

I love conjuring up the image of this cabin surrounded by nature right up to the door.

I'd never before realized how unlikely it would be to see something like that, or how much

work it would take to maintain it.

It's a beautiful image.

I'm Gretchen Ribbon, and I hope this makes your week a little happier.