Reflections: Hiking Path of Life

I’m in Arizona for the weekend to cheer on my coach and his wife at the NPC USA Championships. Saturday morning a few of us took a hike at Piestewa Park, the second highest point in the Phoenix Mountains. When my friend asked if I wanted to go hiking all I heard was did I want to spend time outdoors, being active, with people I love, taking in the Arizona landscape. Of course I did, I love all of those things. I did not know what I was in for and got nervous on the drive over when the hike we were headed to was compared to being on a stair-master the entire time (estimated 45 minutes to the top), but I ended up having an amazing morning.

The weather was perfect, overcast and not too hot for most of our 2 hour adventure. As we started out in a group of 4, my boyfriend and I set a slower pace than our 2 companions. We discussed trying to keep up, but decided we were out for different experiences. While they pushed for a more challenging pace, we wanted to take in the scenery at a more relaxed pace.

As we hiked we passed others on the trail, we overheard parts of conversations and got insight into snippets of their lives. We overheard discussions on food preferences, lifestyle choices, breakups, mental health, physical health, and got to observe a group of younger people have a prayer group at the top of the trail. When we got close to the top and encountered people just returning from the top we were encouraged to keep going and told we were almost there. When we encountered my friend on her way back down she had some words of wisdom on where to avoid bugs at the top. This and walking the trail got me to reflecting on how a lot of things on our hike were an analogy for other things in life.

The experience is what you make it.

It’s okay to go at your own pace, you don’t have to compete with anyone.

Sometimes you reach out a hand to help someone and sometimes someone reaches one out to help you. We’re all in it together.

You never know what another person is going through. Always be kind.

Take time to breathe and enjoy the scenery.

When the path gets difficult, look for the next best step, brace yourself and take it. Just keep moving forward.

There are risks, you could fall and injure yourself, but if you never try you risk missing out on everything else.

If you put yourself out in situations where you can fail and hit a setback your mindset will determine if you make it or not. Never give up.

Stay hydrated and have snacks.

When you get to the top take time to celebrate and reflect.

Encourage those you encounter still on an earlier stage of the journey than you, just as those who went before you encouraged you.

Strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet.