Outside Jim Thorpe

2004-01-02 - 10:50 p.m.

It's easier to keep your balance when you just keep moving.

I started out the new year hiking in the poconos. We hadn't thought about the fact that of course there would be snow and ice there. Certain spots were slippery and we could hear each other's feet slip so much further than intended. The sounds of boots crunching or slipping let us track each other's movements even without looking.

Of course we weren't there to follow the path. When he first started down the slope, I thought he was kidding, but step by step, we found the way. Not far along we came to a creek we had to cross on some scattered rocks. Some were up out of the rushing water; others weren't. Again, I thought he was kidding. There's no real way to pause on a rock to get your balance when it's jutting up at an angle not big enough for your foot. I'm not even going to talk about the wiggling ones.

But soon I was feeling more sure in my steps, saw some amazing things and got inspired to climb all around. Nothing like doing something you're not sure you can do to make you want to take on more adventure.

And I think that reminder is a perfect way to start out the year.

�

Pretend it's 10th grade. Leave me a note.

previous - next

�