Grace Trail in Plymouth, Massachusetts helps veterans and families find peace
PLYMOUTH - The Grace Trail in Plymouth, Massachusetts has a special meaning on Veterans Day.
A round trip walk on the trail is a mile and the five stones you pass along the way inspire stories.
What is the Grace Trail?
This is what's on each rock:
G for Gratitude - What am I grateful for?
R for Release - What do I need to release?
A for Accept - What do I need to accept?
C for Challenge - What is my next challenge?
E for Embrace - What can I embrace as possible?
All five letters are intended to uplift, according to trail creator Anne Jolles.
"Veteran inspired"
"This trail started when I was really struggling when my son was in Afghanistan, so this is actually a veteran-inspired story. I was having trouble coping and he did make it back, he is home," she told WBZ-TV.
"When he was in Afghanistan, I felt so low that every time I asked the five Grace Trail questions, I felt better. My husband joined me, he said, 'Let's do Grace together. We would walk around the block together every night, ask and answer those questions. Every time we felt better, he will tell you that too."
There are three simple rules on the Grace Trail.
"You don't have to answer the question or share your answer with someone else. You can keep it private. The second one is, what you hear on the trail, stays on the trail and the third one is just listen," Jolles said.
"Very moving"
"It's very moving," Vietnam veteran John Gulielmetti told WBZ. "I find myself running into a number of other veterans. I was a lieutenant during the Vietnam period. I'm very appreciative of its presence and I think that there's a real message for veterans here."
"We have ten licensed trails, I would love a trail in every state," Jolles said. "I would say I've heard from thousands of people (about) just the impact of the Grace Trail has on their life."
For more information, visit the Grace Trail website.
