The Third Hill

I've started hiking again, partially because my dogs enjoy the trail, I enjoy the view and I need the exercise, and partially because I need to lose weight.

This last trip to Japan did me no favors. I came back heavier than I've ever been. I tried to watch my diet there and even exercised quite regularly, but extenuating circumstanced yielded stress which contributed to me not yielding pounds, so now I have a new routine. I'm making progress, and it's encouraging.

Typically when I go to my trail I go to what I call the third hill. The first is long, the second is steep, and the third is a short series of switch-backs that leads to a hilltop high enough to feel like I accomplished something.

I take the girls when I go. Jada, who is going on ten, stays by my side most of the way. Occasionally she will rush a lizard or take note of a bird nearby, but for the most part she is happy to trot by my side. I have a puppy now too. Her name is Rebecca. She's going on nine months old and is full of energy. She's not yet fully trained, so I keep her on leash till the second hill. By then she's good and tired from pulling me up the hill and is less likely to run too far.

Being on the trail is both tranquil and familiar. I never get sick of the view and the clarity that a quick jaunt provides. It reminds me of who I am, and that I have a way of accomplishing things.

My life is in flux at the moment. I'm at the cusp of some really big changes, and I'm not even really sure exactly what my future holds. Maybe my goals aren't quite so lofty now, but that's OK.

Conquering challenges is just using skills I already have in a different way. For now, I know I can make it to the third hill. It doesn't matter if it's on my trail or someplace else. It's something I know I can do.