Most of us could answer this question in a million ways, perhaps starting with family, food, the community in which we live, a desire to help others, meaningful work, and more. Each of these things would make my list! When I stop to think of what inspires me, my mind goes to a related question – What Energizes Me?
Mountains. Mountains are where I take solace; where I rejuvenate my soul; where I hear nothing, yet the voice of persons important to me, my goals and aspirations are often at their loudest. I grew up in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and today, find myself happily within fifteen minutes of the BR Parkway, with endless choices of hikes. With a recent move back to my home state, I began thinking about my relationship to mountains.
The first mountain I climbed, was just outside of my childhood bedroom window’ the base of Hibriten Mountain accessed along a gravel road in my neighborhood. With no trail heads to follow, my siblings and I traversed an uneven, yet upward path to the top. The top of the mountain was heavenly to me. Not only could I see our home below but climbing the Fire Tower brought adventure and thrill. There, I first realized I love heights, as long as I feel grounded.
By the time I graduated from college, I found myself on the West Coast, exploring the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and coming oh so close to an angry rattlesnake. It was on that hike, that I was humbled by and learned to respect nature. Years later, while descending Storm Mountain, Colorado, I cradled my daughter in her front pack, under a small tree outcropping, waiting for the downpour to pass. In Banff National Park Canada, I climbed to the Valley of the 7 Peaks, realizing that the only way to the other side of the mountain, was along a scree path, that looked like an ant trail to the naked eye. My greatest feat, was reaching the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, having walked three and a half days through a rain forest, moorland and barren moonscape, to the top of the snow-capped mountain, known as Africa’s highest peak and sought after by hikers around the world.
Each mountain presents its own challenges. Climbing a mountain becomes a journey, no matter how long it takes to reach the summit. Breath, movement, thought, working together to bring clarity, and leave me with the desire to keep moving forward, to find my next adventure.
What Inspires You?
