Forever Inspired
Pulled from the archives ’cause Colorado and her gorgeous mountains are wandering through my brain these days, with many thanks to D (the other one) for his patient determination.
♥ Enjoy ♥
I climbed a mountain once.
Mount Belford in Buena Vista, Colorado.
Nephew and I trekked up that beauty in August, 1999.
I had been on a mountain before, a few of the family and I had ventured up Pikes Peak a couple of times.
We’d walk four miles up, breathe in the stunning view, walk four miles down.
Pikes Peak is so beautiful.
It’s the granddaddy of them all, if you ask me
& Pikes Peak is where my ashes will one day be.
Breathtaking,
Absolutely breathtaking.
Mount Belford though, is the one and only mountain I spent a day climbing.
Talk about slow and steady.
One little step after another.
Look up to enjoy the sights, but don’t focus on how far you need to go.
Nope.
Just keep walking.
Keep walking.
I remember a man passing us as Nephew and I were making our way up that fantastic trail.
I’d say he was in his early sixties on the day our paths crossed.
Very friendly fella who was enjoying every step he was taking.
We talked a bit then he went on his way.
Nephew and I saw that energetic soul an hour or so later, he was happily making his way down.
I wondered if that jolly guy trotted all the way to the peak that day and Nephew and I ( aka I ) were incredibly slow
or did he just turn around at some point and start back down …?…
He made it.
I asked.
whoa.
Mount Belford was also the one and only time I experienced vertigo
& now I know Vertigo.
Balance disorder is the perfect way to describe.
Yep. Yep.
It is a VERY strange sensation.
Mount Belford’s elevation is 14,203′ of pure gorgeousness.
I’d estimate I made it a good 12,000 feet before I was forced to stop because of that doggone vertigo.
boo.
I told Nephew to continue his climb though, and take a picture of me when he reached his goal
& he enthusiastically accomplished that mission.
Sitting on that lovely mountain waiting for my nephew was one of my very best days. Quiet, introspective, inspiring.
Beautiful silence.
I often think of Mount Belford
& the wonderful lesson I was given that day.
Stay on the path.
Keep walking those teeny, tiny baby steps.
Keep walking.
Keep walking.
&
Even if you don’t make it to the summit, enjoy the experience, treasure that day.
Remain humbly awed.
Stay forever inspired.
🙂