“I’m never listening to you again. I knew I should’ve brought Skye along. She would’ve loved this. Look at the scenery. Look at all of these other dogs, living life.”

It was a start of a new year, and I was trying to be more open-minded and respect his opinion about our baby, Skye.  He persuaded me to leave her at home, bored to death, while we set off for a day of hiking and exploration at Great Falls Park in Virginia.

Note to self:  Never listen to a first time hiker, ever again.

The Mr. and I stood at the top of Overlook 1, 2, and 3 amazed by the breathtaking view of the Potomac River. We both couldn’t believe that something so beautiful wasn’t man made. Nearby, spectators were in awe of the unbelievable view and snapped pictures with their loved ones, while their dogs obnoxiously greeted each other with a rather loud bark and howl.

 

As I captured shots of kayakers battling the aggressive water currents, I overheard a Park Ranger sharing some historical information. I moved in closer so that I could hear more clearly.

“The river use to be a trading place for Native Americans and early colonists.”

Distracted by the Mr. nagging me for his personal photo-shoot, I had to leave prematurely. Thankfully, I had an informational pamphlet in my  backpack. I figured I could read it during the commute home or later that day.

As we entered our first trail of our two-hour hike, I didn’t think the Mr. knew what lie ahead of us–tall slippery rocks, mud, and dirt.

“Damn, my J’s!” He halted and attempted to brush them off.

“Are you serious? Boy, come on!” I shouted. “We will be losing daylight soon.”

It wasn’t long before he discovered that complaining wasn’t going to change the situation. We both needed to rely on each others strength to help us succeed in this hike.

And so we did.

Together, we pulled each other up and at times he carried me down from out of very difficult paths and guided me out of slim cracks that was buried within the wooded area.

“Hey! You know what?  I’m glad we came today.  This is the perfect team building activity for us.  Just what we needed.” I shouted to the Mr. leading the way.

Finally, we discovered the perfect spot to sit and embrace the surrounding beauty.  On a rock that was elevated so high in the sky that we could almost kiss it, we simply reflected.  He silently thought about his life, while I softly shared mine out loud.  Both of us agreed that we were thankful for all that has happened in the past and all that’s to come in the future.

The echoes of the water falls, the snapping of cameras, the voices filling the air, and to even the crisp cold wind were our tools of relaxation. There was nothing more we could have asked for. (Well, I’m lying. Hot chocolate and a shot of tequila ran across my mind a few times. 🙂 )

Nevertheless, I’ve learned 3 valuable life lessons from this experience for the year of 2015. First of all, obstacles in life can be compared to hiking.  Rocks will be thrown at me unexpectedly.  I’ll trip; and I’ll fall. I’ll be hurt; and I’ll probably feel like it’s too painful to keep going. But I’ll have to remember that I’m not alone and to be vulnerable enough to ask for help. Secondly, I’ll constantly remind myself to explore new possibilities outside of my comfort zone that may require me to demobilize my movement in order to see and hear more clearly. And last but not least, I’ve learned that good things come to those that explore.

Peace, Blessings, and Endlessly Love.

xo