Going for walks and hikes is always good for my soul. It is good to be out in nature, of course. But it is also good for me to have space to think, to process, and to just be. And, by stepping away from screens and breaking out of routine there’s more opportunity for a little unexpected adventure, perhaps bringing greater potential for me to learn something new about myself and about life.
Sometimes on hikes there will be a stream to cross. In warmer weather it can be fun to take my shoes off and wade through. But I also like making a game out of trying to find a way across without getting wet (a la the wonderful, imaginative childhood game of pretending the floor is lava!). On this recent hike it was a chilly day, and thus icy, cold water was not feeling appealing. So I visually surveyed up and down the bank for a place where there were either some rocks to step to, or perhaps it would be narrow enough to jump. And thus I eventually found myself at the edge of the bank, contemplating a “leap of faith.”
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