What’s Inside

As I was listening to the Audible version of Heartbreak by Florence Williams, I was reminded of self-reliance.  What we need to meet the challenge of hiking and backpacking in the wilderness lies inside of us, while gaining support of the group. Although the group may be moving through the same terrain, camping together in the same spots and hiking the same distances, our experiences are typically different from the next person. Each woman who ventures out into the wilderness came to it with different stories, wants and needs. Being in the wilderness requires that we take inventory of our bodies and listen in the process. Open communication of needs can enhance this experience of finishing a hike or backpacking retreat. Decisions are made about where the comfortable boundaries end and the more risky zone begins in the woods. The magic of autonomy and empowerment can play out, with your movement along the trail, meeting new experiences and living only with the contents of your backpack. There is somehow this newfound identity in experiencing nature and spending a few days and nights out in it. Nature and its wildness connects us to ourselves and always leaves us in awe. Exploring what’s inside of you and realizing your potential can be beautiful in this whole thing of healing and growing.