Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
One summer, many years ago, I had the opportunity to go hiking in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. We went to a place called Elk Tooth, a mountain 12,848 feet tall. You can see a picture of it here. We were out in the wilds, camping under the stars (and rain) for a week. Unfortunately I didn't get to actually climb to the top of Elk Tooth. Because of time restraints only a few us could go, so we drew lots and, alas, mine was not one of the winners.
I don't regret it though. It was awesome being up in those mountains, climbing snow-packed fields, learning how to wield an ice ax, fishing in a high mountain pond, belaying and rappelling off a cliff face, traversing a log across a mountain stream that spanned a gulch some 20 feet deep....Sometimes it was hard going, it made us reach beyond what we thought our limits were. It made us over-come different fears, different anxieties. It made me think of the pioneering men, women and children who had gone before. It challenged and rewarded.
For a time we could have been the only people in the world, so isolated did it seem. This is me, two days into the hike, nature's peace flowing into me.
When was the last time you were so far away from civilization that you couldn't hear or see anything in the way buildings or people? Did it bring peace or did it make you anxious?
When I go sailing with my husband, sometimes following the wind takes us way out, so that land is nothing but a pencil smudge on the horizen. On a good day, when there aren't many motorboats around, all you can hear is the wind ruffling the sails, the clank of the halyard, and the hiss of the water streaming by the gunnels though if we get too far out, I feel kind of lonely.
ReplyDeleteWhat an adventure!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I took a helicopter to the top of a glacier in Alaska. It was amazing and just so beautiful and pristine.
Also, as a teen lived on a sailboat for a week (with a captain and cook) with my best friend's family. Sleeping on a rocking boat, surrounded by water was pretty peaceful.
I was moaning to Husband over the weekend that it's been *far too long* since I was in my favourite place on earth: high in the Quathlamba (Drakensberg) mountains there's a basic littel camp called Injasuthi. It restores my soul and brings a sense of utter peace. Am going to have to make a plan to get there again! :)
ReplyDeleteLoved your hiking photo - looks like bliss!
Judy (South Africa)
Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI'm sad to say the last time I was that close with nature was when I was a teenager. I mean I still go on day hikes from time to time, but back then I lived in the Cabinets Mountains in Montana for 6 weeks. It was probably the coolest thing I have ever done.
Love John Muir and the mountains good tidings. I prefer walks away from chatting people and car motors, so I seek the wilder places when I can. But I confess to some anxiety hiking in Glacier where there was frequent evidence of grizzlies.
ReplyDeleteWow! Beautiful!! I'm not a hiker but this makes me want to be!
ReplyDeleteLovely, Bish. It's been pre-kids since my husband and I have hiked into the desert or mountains so far away that we felt isolated from the rest of the world. But I don't mind not doing that anymore. It won't be long before we can all go hiking to remote places again.
ReplyDeleteWe hike. It's the SECOND most favorite thing we do. The first being horseback riding on trails with our horses. It always brings me peace. Being away from everyone else. There's nothing like it.
ReplyDeleteAnother great story, Bish.
There are times when we go skiing in Colorado when there's nothing around but the mountain and the snow and the trees. Just beautiful!
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