We happened upon a meadow, streaming with light from the sinking sun. The golden grass was adorned with a gentle stream, set peacefully in its midst. The pine forest edged the field, different hues of green set ablaze by the dying light.
It felt as if we stepped into a painted landscape. It felt like a gift from the gods.
And now, as I hike away from that beauty up a mountain into unknown lands, I feel that everything has been a gift.
I have been given the time, the means, the gumption, the idiocy, the gear, the strength, the friendship, the love, the support, the everything to do this trip. I have been given mind shattering vistas and miserable pain, faith and doubt. I have experienced the wide array of human emotion in a seemingly tiny amount of time.
This journey has been a miracle, and I feel overwhelmed with peace and grace and gratitude today. It is not in every lifetime that you are offered five months to wander the woods, and I feel beyond blessed to have the chance.
As I was contemplating life and love, I turned around a bend and saw Felix wearing a huge grin. She had a present for me: a toad! She placed it in my hands and I oohed and aahed. Then it peed an exorbitant amount on me. We laughed and laughed and laughed. And that was a gift too.
