Sometimes things don’t go exactly the way we plan. It’s easy to be anxious or go to the blame game in the moment. But is it really life and death? One of the many things I love about hiking season is finding the space to take a deep breath, and yah, it doesn’t hurt that it is crisp mountain air I’m taking in.

The wild flowers, right now kinnikinnick, iris, larkspur, parsley, shooting stars, clematis and so many more I don’t know the names of, purple, yellow, white, and pink against the green of the leaves and grasses lovingly planted and tended by the master gardener fill my vision if I choose to see them. I do.

While I’m hiking with a different purpose this summer, to fund those wishes for as many kids as we can, I refuse to lose sight of my love of the trail and for what is right in front of me and also around the bend, both steep rocky climb and pine needle lined path along the creek.