At times, it would have been so easy to think, I’m not going to get a workout today or this is going to be a huge waste of time. I could murmur to myself, “I’m hot” or, “I’m bored” and nobody would even hear me. Alternatively, with a different perspective, the right perspective, I could say to myself, cherish these next 500 feet. She’s not going to forget them.

              There are many sights and sounds in nature that are undeniably powerful. For instance, a sea of pine trees swaying in the wind could almost fool you into thinking you’re standing in front of the ocean. A clap of thunder can be so close and loud that you can feel it in your chest as it shakes the ground beneath your feet. I would have never discounted the beauty of the forest, especially when covered in a fresh blanket of powdery snow; however, anything that would have ever resembled a hike was just a walk in the dirt, swatting away bugs, trying not to lose my footing. I, along with many others I suspect, find it a bit comical that as of late, I would hike the trails nearby everyday if I could and some of my aspirations include learning to snowboard and hiking the Grand Canyon.

              I am not sure if I would call it challenging myself or competing against myself but many times, I enjoy reviewing the metrics of my hike just as much as I enjoyed being on the trail. I review the total distance, average speed, elevation gained, and so on. There is plenty of time to pause and enjoy the peace and quiet while listening to the birds chirping but many times, I tap and probe my way through the forest as fast as my white cane will allow trying to move faster and further than the previous trek.

              “Can I come wiff you, Daddy?” My toddler asked, not even knowing what a “hike” was.

              My wife had bought her some hiking shoes that looked like a small, pink version of my gray Under Armour trail shoes.

              She was ready to go. Her adventure bag was packed, water bottle was filled, and she had just finished putting on her new, pink shoes. I knew we wouldn’t be getting far that day but there was absolutely no way I was going to say no.

              As soon as we arrived at the entrance to the trail, every bit of it had to be explored, every leaf had to be examined, and every paw print had to be inspected. She described everything in vivid detail, not so much because her daddy can’t see well, more so just because she’s a toddler. I happily took the audio description either way. We inched our way up the trail turning over rocks and crunching leaves, teaching her about creation. After about an hour, she was tired and ready to go home.

              I did not get a workout on that hike. I was not able to push myself or beat any of my previous records. I only hiked about 500 feet.

              500 feet that shaped her future and will be remembered forever.

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My favorite hiking shoes

My daughter’s favorite hiking shoes

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