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On any normal Tuesday, members of the walk club from L'Arche Metro Richmond would be doing laps around the inside of Regency mall.
But normal Tuesdays – or normal days at all, for that matter – are a thing of the past since March roared in with the COVID-19 virus on its coattails.
After Regency and other local malls closed their doors to comply with restrictions on public gatherings, members of the group– a faith community that celebrates the gifts of persons with developmental disabilities – feared they would have to cancel the popular weekly get-together. Instead, they turned to an outdoor venue: Short Pump Park.
Not only is the park conveniently located for L'Arche walkers, said organizer Cheryl Emory, but its trails are wide enough for social distancing – so regular participants can chat and enjoy each other's company, even if they can't stroll elbow-to-elbow. The paths are also easy to navigate, accommodating members who often have physical as well as intellectual challenges.
What's more, Short Pump Park boasts a bonus feature that was not available at the mall – a feature that just happens to be known for its soothing, restorative qualities.
Anyone out there looking for soothing, restoration and calm?
Becca Coogle's labyrinth – unlike almost everything else, it seems – is open to the public and welcoming visitors.
'Life and how you walk through it'
Built for her Girl Scout Gold project, Coogle's labyrinth is set back from Pump Road and nestled in the trees, so not everyone who uses the park is aware of its existence.
The Godwin H.S. senior said she devised the project while thinking of "all the stress, anxiety and mental health challenges faced by middle and high school students today."
The project was also designed, she said, to serve area veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome, or PTSD, to help them "find peace and calm."
Using donations of gravel and stone from Pete Rose Landscaping, mulch from Henrico County, and donated gift cards from members of the community, Coogle arranged curved paths in the classic circle shape, which she explains is meant to "represent life and how you walk through it."
A sign notes that the labyrinth is dedicated to Chris Parrish, a Coogle-family neighbor who died at 19. Parrish used a wheelchair, and the hope is that at some point, the mulched area can be paved to make the labyrinth more wheelchair-accessible.
Fortuitous timing
For the walkers from L'Arche, Tuesday walks at the labyrinth have become a welcome weekly get-together and an activity that fits naturally into L'Arche's "Healthy Living and Spirituality" programs. Occasionally, a walker will sit in the center of the labyrinth for some quiet; another might lead the group in prayer.
On a recent Tuesday, the walkers met Leah Blatzer, who was delighted to explore the labyrinth with her dog Lucas. On another Tuesday, the group was joined by Tracy Coogle, Becca's mom, who was pleased to see the labyrinth doing what it does best: providing solace and offering a relaxing oasis at a time of stress. She mentioned that soon after the coronavirus crisis hit, a friend told her how she had come upon the inviting spot while running through the park, and had stopped for some impromptu prayer.
Whatever their varied reasons for visiting – to relax and unwind, commune with nature, enjoy a change of scene, or meditate – labyrinth users tend to have one almost-universal reaction to the idyllic site:
"Could the timing for this have been any better?"
Pod panic
The walks also double as a service opportunity for L'Arche members, who work to beautify the park at the same time that they use it for recreation. Packing trash bags, they scan the woods and trails for litter, and keep their eyes open for weeds to pull.
The litter pick-up activity led to some levity one Tuesday when Cheryl Emory and Cookie Sickler found the paths covered with brown "gum balls," or seed pods, that had fallen from nearby sweet gum trees. As they began tossing the gum balls out of the gravel paths and into the woods, Cookie's brother, Billy Stover, reacted with consternation and alarm.
"No!" he told his sister. "Don't touch that!"
At first, no one could understand why Stover was cringing at the sight of the gum balls. Until, that is, someone took a good look at a pod and realized what the spiky brown surface resembles – at least to sharp-eyed, ever-observant Billy.
It's a dead ringer for images of the coronavirus.
