"We need beauty to touch us as deeply as we need love. Beauty is not a luxury, an accidental experience that we happen to have if we are lucky. Beauty dwells at the heart of life." John O'Donahue
Every day feels magical here. Yesterday, we woke after a long day and night of hardy, steady rain, to sunshine and absolutely brilliant colors in the forest. The air was crisp and hovering right around freezing. Giddy about it all, the colors, the cool temperatures, we bundled up and headed up the ridge behind our house and into the forest. Today was the first day we hiked to the tippy top. It's quite steep and crawling is pretty much what I had to do in some places. Once on the ridge, there is a wide trail that winds through woods and meadows. At one point I turned around gasped and giggled out loud. What I saw was a clear view of those magnificent mountains facing my back. Watching over me, in a way. Of course, the photo (#6) does little justice to capture my view because in real life those mountains are endless.
How did we get HERE? What did we do to deserve this? WHO gets to do life here? I very often doubted that it would be us. Even though Thoreau's quote, "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you imagined," stayed ever present to my eyes via a cheapo refrigerator magnet for the past 15 years, many days went by where Byron and I both resigned that we didn't have what it took to live out the dreams. After all, there was always the idea that we had too much of this, noot enough of that. What if this? What about that? You know those thoughts and questions, right? I'm so glad that more often than not, we didn't let the doubt talk us out of believing in our dreams.
Amongst ancient mountains that roll on and on for as far as the eye can see, sparkling rivers, and forest thick with diversity. I am grateful for every moment of it. As the world appears to crumble upon unrest on so many levels, to have this opportunity to see a bit of it unspoiled feels like the greatest gift of hope. All of life is worth cherishing.
You inspire me.
Posted by: Arianne Cope | November 02, 2017 at 08:46 AM
I've never been good at receiving compliments but thank you so much! That is so kind of you to say. Much love!
Posted by: Nichole | November 25, 2017 at 08:44 PM