I choose to go to the mountain..even in the rain.
Equinox is my mountain for feeling alive when things get dark in the fall.
It seems to be where I go when I am working through some things and need to get charged back up.
The trail that climbs to the top usually reflects the struggle that I might be fighting through inside.
Steadily steep, there are no flat sections on the 3.2-mile hike. At the top, there is no great big sprawling, rock top to take in the view. In fact, the entire climb is rather lackluster. But still, I go.
There are always moments during the climb when I seriously consider turning back…which I don’t think about when I climb other mountains. Equinox is arduous.
During the long steep winding climb, I always stop. I look up the trail. I look down the trail. I wipe the sweat from my brow as I huff and I puff and consider. After a moment I intentionally decide to keep on trudging up. Head down as I go, I know that it’s grit that gets me through.
And grit is just what it takes sometimes.
The stream bed that serves as the trail up near the top is a superhighway of cold, clear water, rushing down the mountain in the fall.
On a 42 degree day, it is cold, and up to my ankles, but I keep on going. It actually feels good and with every slog through it, I feel lighter.
In the rain, I keep on going.
The trees get lower, and they start closing in on me. Up I go.
Coldwater on my feet, sweating beneath my jacket, the dog pulls me on.
And we just keep climbing.
Alive. It’s what I feel, it’s what I am.
I choose the mountain. Equinox.
When the days get dark and short, I know, when I get to the top, all will come clear, within me.
With love,
Kate
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