After Covid shut the world down in 2020, our family started a new hobby- hiking. Well, at the time our kids were 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9 so it was more like walks in the woods. Nonetheless, we hit up AllTrails and found the hikes in the area we thought we could handle. Within a year or so, we were able to handle more moderate trails for decent distances. Living outside of Saint Louis, hikes which included hills, cliffs, valleys, rivers, and lakes were endless.
Then we moved to San Angelo, Texas where the weather is predictably sunny, the community is absolutely amazing, but the hiking trails are basically nonexistent. The trails here are literally walking through a level dirt path lined with prickly pear cactus. The first time we hiked at San Angelo State Park, my kids said, “Hey mom, we can’t get lost. We can see the van.”
Let’s just say we have not maintained our hiking shape while living here. But my love for hiking has not disappeared.
For our first hike of 2025, we took a day trip to Texas Hill Country and started on a trail to a waterfall in Colorado Bend State Park. The trail was exactly like the reviews had stated- rocky terrain with a steep, slippery slope to the waterfall.
As we were walking my husband said to me, “You know what sucks about this terrain?”
At this point I was actually enjoying the change of “difficulty,” but I entertained the question- what?
“You have to remind yourself to look up.”
I looked up to see hills lined with cactus and mesquite trees. The sun peaked over the hills just right. It was actually quite beautiful.
But I was so focused on keeping my footing on this new, harder rocky surface.
I had to do exactly as my husband said- look up. If I had not, I would have missed it.
Let me just encourage anyone right now who is on a ROCKY path… look up.
Yes, you don’t want to lose your footing-I get that, but there is still beauty all around you.
Life gets hard.
But when you keep your eyes focused on the hard, you might miss the beauty all around you.
So, the lesson I learned from our New Years Day hike- Look up.