Climb every mountain. Or not.

No, that's not me.  Not even close.  But today felt a bit like reaching a pinnacle.

I had decided last night, while laying in bed reading until the wee hours (as I promised myself) that I wouldn't hike today.

Then my friend Liz called me at 9:30 and said she had to pick her son up at 10:00 and we should hike then.  At first I thought, well no, I am laying here in bed most comfy and cozy and, well, I am relaxed.  Then I looked out the window and saw the trees swaying in the breeze, and the air flowing through the room and caressing me ... and I said Sure!  I'll do that.

So I climbed out of bed, got dressed, brushed my teeth, put up my hair, ran downstairs and filled a backpack with a raw bar and a bottle of water and prepared to run out the door when Liz called again to tell me that her son had decided that he did not need to be picked up at 10:00 and she'd be happy to hike somewhere else.

Well, I know a LOT of places to hike, so I suggested another place, said I'd pick her up, and now that we had extra time, that I would juice.

What does that mean?  When I say I will juice?

Well, it means I pull out the lettuce, kale, chard and dandelion greens from the fridge.  Then I wash them all.  Then I wash two apples, a lemon and peel a small piece of ginger.  Then I run all of the above through the juicer to create the most yummy and fantastic juice ever.  Which I drink.  

Then my friend Cheryl called to ask me if I wanted tickets to a show, and I said yes, and then she asked what I was doing.  And I told her that I was just then running out the door to hike.  And she said, really?  Now?  I said yes, now.

Then Liz called on my cell phone and asked where I was, because she really didn't have time to hike, and well, if we were going to go, we had to be on the trail like then.  So then Cheryl said she would meet me to hike.

Geesh.

I wasn't even going to hike today.  And now, well ... now it appeared to be my mission!  So I met Cheryl (late ... I gave her crap about being an hour then said hour slipped away and I ended up being 20 minutes late meeting her) and we had the most enjoyable hike.  We sat at the top and relaxed and chatted for a good hour.  I realized I needed it.  That for the past few weeks I have been so driven, so intent on one thing or another that sitting with a view of the lake before me (and three dogs panting incessantly around me) was just what I needed.  It felt good.

Ultimately I can feel this feeling of being driven ... of being pushed, and I know I need to rein myself in.  It's a by-product of all this newfound energy ... and I am well aware that I need to find a balance to it.

Today I didn't do anything specific:  I didn't pick strawberries, hull strawberries, head to a farm, shop for food, go to a movie ... and that's okay.

I read a little this morning.

I hiked for a few hours.

I made the most delicious lunch and ate it with abandon.

I shopped for a new shirt.

I met Peter and the kids at the lake and sat on the dock and had a beer.

We returned home and showered and then Peter and I went out to dinner.

I had cooked food and I must admit, at 11:41 I feel a bit tired.  But I feel good.  I think I am finding a balance between raw and cooked food.  Last night I had popcorn and it tasted divine.  Tonight I had cod and it was okay.  I won't order it again -- it's always been my favorite, but tonight it was ... not divine.  I think the key is to find divine and relish it.  If not ... let it go.

I feel upbeat and positive ... as though I can find a passage way between the two worlds.  As though a map has been spread out before me, and if you don't take the right way, that's okay, you can backtrack a bit and regain your journey.  

It's there ... I can feel it.

Climb every mountain ... or go halfway.  Either way, it's an effort.  And worth it.

Really.