An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
I never take for granted the view from my back yard. Looking across the fields behind my home, the waters of Upper Naukeag Lake rise up to meet an array of mountains that sweep across the landscape. To the left stands Mt. Monadnock. In the center is Little Watatic. To the right, Mt. Watatic is visible along the tree line.
These mountains welcome me back every time I visit their well worn paths.
I find inspiration and peace when hiking, especially in the spring after a long winter’s hibernation. The smell of the ferns coming to life, the sound of the birds calling as they soar above, and the feel of my muscles simultaneously rejoicing and complaining after being neglected for too long all grant me a sense of harmony and connection with the world around me. Even when I am hiking with friends, I find myself in deep, contemplative thought. I send a silent, “Thank you” up to the heavens in gratitude for nature’s beauty. Not a bad way to spend a day.
