Leaving All This Behind

Day Two of Week One of Back on Track. Feeling so good after yesterday’s hike, I was easily psyched to go again this morning. But when the alarm went off at 5 a.m. and I still felt tired, it was the announcement of temperatures in the 40’s that got me out of bed. It is hard to resist a sunrise hike in November in Colorado when it starts out that warm. I have rules about using the weather as an excuse. If the temperature is below 18°F, I am allowed to use that as an excuse. But why not make up the opposite rule: If it is warmer than 40ºF at 5 a.m. you must get up and hike.

I was out the door by 5:49 a.m. and after only one day; my body is feeling more athletic. I made a better choice of clothing, today feeling less like I was a little kid wearing a thick snowsuit. I would rather be underdressed with extra layers to add on and enough to keep the hands and ears warm. Nothing else gets cold (unless I am hiking in a blizzard and that is another story for another day).

I ran into a couple of regulars. First, the silver Ford was parked as usual in the big parking lot. There was one runner just starting up the switchbacks getting his headlamp adjusted properly. Luckily, I go the other way, up the steep northern path and come down the switchbacks – I prefer to hike alone unless, of course, I invite someone along! In my meditations, I saw what I thought was my heart in gorgeous shades of purple with trails of red and sparkling gems on strings. I know that sounds like I may be on drugs but maybe you could just think of it as artwork. I see art when I meditate. Whatever is going on gives me incredible energy. I feel so good that my day could end now and be perfect. Or you could say that I can face with optimism anything that comes my way.

Past the tower, I saw one of the regulars, a man I started seeing this past summer. When I first used to see him, he seemed to be struggling with his running, as if he couldn’t find his pace and the expression on his face was strained and full of pain. But as I saw him progress over the weeks, he would smile very pleasantly at me. I could tell that he was enjoying his time on Green Mountain. Today when I saw him, he was all covered in warm, black clothing. I would never have recognized him because his running gait is completely changed and at ease. He smiled and wished me a good morning with all the energy of the new sun. I tell you, I live for these little exchanges between strangers. I feel very deeply that some of these ‘regulars’ get the same amazing energy that I do, that we recognize that we have tapped into something beyond the ordinary.