My Heart is Riding Shotgun

In 2022, I went on 79 hikes, forty-four of which were on trails new to me. For the past three years, I’ve been documenting my annual hiking activity. It’s not a race. It’s not a goal.

My mom has a new teddy bear that keeps her company. She explained to the nurse how she sewed it including the Daisy patterned hospital gown. But the truth is, my Mom has never sewn. Or has she?

On any given day we may look and feel a little different than a previous day. We are formed and influenced by experiences, both good and bad, and these live in our mind and body.

I loved climbing trees as a kid. What an adventure - finding my way up and through the maze of limbs and examining the rooftops of neighboring homes feeling like I was being let in on some secret.

With a pause in my step and a big sigh, I said it out loud. Why am I doing this? I’ve asked myself this before. It’s usually when I’m feeling tired, exasperated or even doubt.

I paused to smell a rose. With the scent, tears puddled in my eyes. Was it a memory, nostalgia, or just the pure beauty of it? I wasn’t sure.

Have you ever felt like an imposter? Uncertain about whether you could pull it off.

I never thought much about summits until I moved to Colorado. If you spend any time on the trails, it’s part of your language here. The summit is the highest point on a mountain, and when you reach it

How do you learn to be okay when it’s not okay? Even if we vow to see the bright side of our surroundings, to live in the moment, and to find joy, most likely...

The lowest. The hottest. The driest. I went on a hiking trip in Death Valley three months ago. More than a few people raised an eyebrow when I mentioned where I was headed.

When I was a young girl, I would save the last few pieces of paper from a memo pad or a set of note cards or stationery. It wasn’t for future use. The remainder would stay in its purest state.

I left my hometown in Indiana two months after my 18th birthday. I have lived in Johannesburg, Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte, Davidson, Phoenix and now, Denver.