Blog #736: A Visit to the Ancient Giants

My past Sunday?

Up at 4:30 a.m.
On the road by 5:40 a.m.
Driving 115 miles to go hiking.

Why?

Sacrifices are required to live cool things.

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It was a group hike.

Thirty northern California hikers started at 9:00 a.m. Each passionately committed to climbing up and down extra steep mountains for 7.5 miles.

What’s the big deal about this hike?

It was happening in the most energy-rich place on Earth that I know.

The Muir Woods.

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I get that my Sunday plan wouldn’t appeal to most.

The getting up before even being awake?

The long drive in the dark morning?

The extra tired body still two days later?

It’s the “ticket price” for hiking through the stunning and ancient forest.

The climbing.

The breathing.

The oohing and aahing.

It’s the trees.

All so old.

All so tall.

All so giant.

To feel the “Cathedral of the Giants”…

You gotta’ walk (and worship) through them.

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Cool goals often come with personal cost.

1. Devoting hours, days, and months to achieve what we want.

2. Catching long – to the other side of the world – flights to see what we want.

3. Stepping a mile outside of our comfort zones to live what we want.

Fail to pay the price required, and we ultimately water down our life experiences.

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You?

If there’s a goal, destination, or experience that’s been whispering to be lived…

1. Don’t fear the push.

2. Don’t shy away from the sacrifice.

3. Don’t be afraid of the commitment.

I know.

A Sunday walk among 1,000-year-old, 250-foot trees reinforced this for me.

S.

(Audio version)