Making this journey possible
It is fairly frequent that I write about hiking, and always, it’s more than that. Because there are analogies with life and grief that shouldn’t be ignored. And because, maybe in part for that reason, hiking has been part of my journey especially these past four years. So with that in mind, I invite you…
Make room for the comfies
For fifteen years, I traveled several times a month for work. I loved it and missed it when it ended. There are skills you develop when you are living that life. Efficient and effective packing was one of them. Many years ago, my colleague Jennifer and I were at the same training event as we…
Can you?
Acceptance. As it relates to death, once upon a time, I thought it meant accepting that the person is no longer physically with us. Accepting that it can’t be changed. Intellectually, to me, I figured that was pretty straightforward. I’ve come to learn that acceptance is more complicated than that. We also have to accept…
Tap the breaks
May 22, 2019 was the last day of Tim’s life on Earth. The last day of the Tim that we knew and loved. And this same day was an unwanted beginning for me. A part of my own journey earned by the fact that I had met Tim on November 1, 2003 and that together…
Plausible treasure chests
When reaching for a purse or backpack off the top shelf of the closet, what’s the greatest thing that’s dropped to the floor? For me, admittedly, it’s usually a dried up ChapStick, a pen that no longer writes, definitely coins, and probably a tissue, grocery list, a receipt or a mint from a restaurant. When…
And the first runner up is…
I grew up in a very small town in the Midwest. It had one traffic light. A state highway ran through the center of town, so I am pretty sure the only reason for the light was to slow down semi-trucks. As a child I climbed trees, played flashlight tag, dug roads for matchbox…
The one tool that weighs nothing
How often do you listen to your gut? Do you trust it? I like to think about that feeling, that voice, my intuition, as a valued companion. And while it’s an emotional response that may not always be right, it never tells me to do anything out of line. So on the occasion when my…
You don’t need anyone’s permission
Most of my writing comes from a thought, memory, or an event. It usually starts small until I can’t get it out of my mind. So I put it on paper, and there it grows. On a rare occasion, the writing starts big. Today is that day. This morning, I learned that Tim’s oldest brother,…
There are a lot of empty seats
My place is in the driver’s seat. I suppose the main reason is that I’m prone to car sickness. Staying focused on the road, and knowing when the starts, stops, and curves are coming keeps the queasiness away. I also enjoy the strategy of deciding on the route and finding my lane. In truth there…
The best of the best
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. It’s not a competition with myself or anyone. It’s simply what I love to do. And it’s part of…