Ever been hiking?

In the last couple of years, I have discovered hiking. I wish I had discovered it earlier in life! Not that I'm old or anything, but still. I've hiked parts of the Appalachian Trail and loved it. It's not been easy. The first time out I messed up my knee. The second time I got a huge blister on my heel after hiking through a skin drenching rainstorm. I felt like I was in the Amazon rainforests. But still, there are moments of each hike that are some of my favorite moments in my life. (That's a good idea for an entry - favorite moments of my life. Next time.)

Anyway, on the first Appalachian Trail hike, we faced a huge climb in the first day. It was brutal, mostly because I'd never done anything like that before. But we reached the summit, and as I sat upon a sea of rocks looking out over the majestic countryside, I felt joy. Joy is a special word. It's more than happy. Joy is something you feel when you see your baby being born. Or when you get married. But that's how good I felt up on top of that mountain.

Joy.

The second hike was rough. The rain. The blister. We were beat after only a couple of days. However, Albert Mountain loomed ahead. It's a challenging hike. It's not just walking up the mountain. You have to climb. Use your hands and feet. It's tough. Bu we did it. And again, looking out over the world from atop that mountain was truly a joyous experience.

So I'm heading back again. I cannot wait.