Chimney Top

A couple of weeks ago, I hiked up Chimney Top Mountain in the Smokey Mtns. with Gary and some friends. The hike was only a few miles so I hardly gave it any thought when asked if I wanted to go. (Hey! Sure, I'll go. I like nature.) I was not really prepared for what I encountered. It ended up being a pretty strenuous hike. Not only was it an extremely steep climb but I also had to constantly watch my footing due to the roots and uneven path. At one point, I made a statement that I was going to stop looking up because I was just getting discouraged: the climb seemed never-ending.

On my morning walk today, God reminded me of that hike and that statement. There were two things that impressed me most about the entire experience. (1) It really matters who I surround myself with. On that hike, we all wanted to finish that crazy climb and finish it together. If one of us needed a break, we would take it. We cracked jokes, laughed and just enjoyed achieving it together. Despite how hard that climb was and how much I sweated and how bad I smelled, I had the best time because of the people I was with. (2) I should not become so focused on the step right in front of me. If I want to enjoy the beauty of my surroundings then I need to pick my eyes up. It doesn't sound so difficult, does it? Well, I did that on my walk today. I realized how often I walk with my eyes focused on the ground. Ugh!!! I started getting mad at myself because no matter how great the view was, my gaze automatically kept drifting down. Now, not only do my neighbors think I'm a little coo-coo because I yell at myself when I walk, I also recognize maybe I need more practice on this looking up stuff.