The 22-23 school year wrapped up yesterday. My annual trek up Mt. Washington was going great. Other than a 30-degree windchill and what had now turned into sleet, I was savoring my alone time on the mountain. Every step had to be calculated and it was getting more slippery by the moment. But it didn’t matter, the relentless focus that was the hallmark of my solo hikes was locked in.
I had learned my lesson in previous hikes. When my mind drifted, I had taken some serious falls. Slid down mountainsides. Wound up in streams.
Live in the moment. Focus on the next step. Block out the world I’d left behind. Enjoy my solitude and silence.
I could feel my thoughts start to drift. Lots going on at home. Stuff to deal with. Kids who want answers. Things to get addressed. I started to think about the future and not on the next step. I was 100 feet from the top…surely that was fine. And then it happened. My feet shot out sideways!
My shins took the entire brunt of the falls on the jagged granite. Instantly the blood started to gush. It was 30 seconds until the wave of pain hit. Absolute agony. A reminder to stay in the moment. Focus on what is directly in front of you. Tackle the problem you can see. A constant reminder for every hike…and every day in general.
Love the way you take the moment and the trouble you encountered and wove it into a bigger life lesson! The short sentences work to bring out the tension.
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