On the two challenging hikes, one Thursday with my husband in White Oak Canyon and Friday with my son above Skyline Drive, I had to pay attention to each step, to place my foot carefully to avoid a fall. To use my sticks and have three points solid before I lifted one leg to move forward. I paid lots of attention to my breathing, pacing myself, resting when it became labored or short. I was alone many times, letting my younger companions sprint ahead, thinking of the Caminos that friends walked for many miles a day, also one step at a time. Their hikes might not be this steep, but they were also walking slowly, just walking, mindful of each step. I found myself letting go of worries, letting go of the fear of falling. I felt so alive and vigorous doing something beyond my capacity.
I also tried to look carefully at what was in front of me and around me – the distinct green of laurel leaves, the twists in the branches, the majesty of boulders thousands of years old, the vistas of mountain sides when sunlight lit them in all their glory, the tiny “stick mantis” that crawled up my son’s pant leg, the rare sound of a bird. It was necessary to keep the focus on the next step, the solidity of the rock in front of me, then to look wide and far when I stopped to rest. It was a powerful practice of staying in the present moment. What more wonderful moment could I imagine that this one – hiking a new trail high in the mountains, with my beloved son. This moment a gift, his life one of the greatest gifts in my life. We celebrated it by stretching our bodies and minds to new heights together…one step at a time, one breath at a time.
Happy Hallowe’en! Hope you are enjoying fall also!
Power of Love 