It’s The Climb….

So I know what you think.. I go on one hike and all of the sudden I am quoting Miley Cyrus songs from this day forward. Well.. you are right. I am not the most outdoorsy girl. Being raised by a father who hunts and fishes more than he probably works has been my life… then add in a sports daddy and there’s my world. So when a girl who just likes the lake and beaches… especially the beaches, decides to go for a hike yesterday it was comical.

First Tracy and my sister n law have asked me for years to hike this mountain. I have always had an excuse. Let’s walk at the park or perhaps the gym. I’m also good at derailing to your nearest Brewster’s. I’m not lazy and I’m somewhat competitive but I am also a bit afraid of the unknown. So why not walk this mountain with 3 teens. How hard could it be? They all play sports and they are between the ages of 13-15. So they could have walked it backwards. Lol. Immediately their mother said you may see black bears or it may be windy. Yes she’s my best friend. She was kidding but I was not. I had my hat on( bugs) and needed to know what I was about to embark on.

Let’s back this train up for a minute. It’s not like I’ve never been hiking. I’ve gone to Cloudland Canyon, Redtop, and Kennesaw mountain. I dated a guy 100 year ago who loved it. I tried to pretend that I was this “REI” girl who just lived in the great outdoors. I realized some year later that you have to be your true self. If you like the hotel better than a tent so be it. You’re not the enemy of Mother Nature. You just know your lane. So other than boat rides or trips to South Georgia which I love btw, I stay close to the curb of what I know.

Yesterday I will be honest, I wanted to quit. Like go back down. Stop. Those babies lied and encouraged me all the way up. It was soo wet and muddy. I can say we all had a fall or stumble up the mountain. I tried to say I’ll let you kids go and I’ll hang here. They said no because when you get to the top it’s worth it. Wow were they right. It was beautiful. I could see for miles. It was so peaceful and for a moment I thought God made all this. He is just showing off today…When we started back down I had a new mindset. I mean I made them play music and I was talking to the other hikers like I’d been doing this for years. As we were walking down this little boy handed me a rock. He said “thanks for hiking the mountain”… I’ll never throw away the rock. It is a symbol for me. That the unknown was not that scary. Was it hard? Yes at times. Did I want to quit? God yes! Did I? NO!!! Because that’s not in me anymore. I’m not black or white. I live in the grey. I am also hot or cold. Which may be a contradiction. I guess I mean I’m all in or all out. The grey means I give what I get… grace. Had I not made it up the mountain it would have been ok. For all you cross fitting, excercise lovers I’m sure you could hop on one leg up the mountain blind folded. That I commend you for. For me it was more what I had it made it out to be than what it is.😌

Im gonna quote some lines from ole Miley…there a voice inside saying you’ll never reach it.

Every step I’m taking,
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking but I
Gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose
Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb..

I know you all just sang that whole section. Lol. It’s so true. In life we face lots of mountains. Some we will climb and some we won’t. Some we will keep trying until we reach the top. It doesn’t matter if you waited all your life to climb it. You be you!! Take your time. Climb your mountain. You may fall, slip, rest on a rock and say a cuss word or seven. Oh but when you reach the top you’ll say I never thought I could do that. I never thought I could get that promotion, or have that baby. I never thought I could leave that abusive relationship or I never thought I could lose that weight. Whatever your mountain is you remember it’s not how fast you get there. It’s not how long it takes you. It’s just about the climb. You will climb your mountain. Hey you never know…I may be sporting Tevas amd a backpack this summer….or I may wear nikes and just be me doing my own thing and climbing my own mountain. Now go climb yours!!!!