The Adirondacks, NY Part Three

I like how Michael Singer expresses the idea of living life with an open heart in his book The Untethered Soul. For the last few weeks, I felt that my heart is only half open, and that's just not who I am. So I decided to make an even greater effort to keep my heart open and stay true to myself.

Oh my goodness, the universe once again shows me the effects of keeping an open heart!

I park my car to hike to Panther Mountain. I am about to start walking, when another hiker carrying his son on his back, returns to his car. I want to know the condition of the trail because I just came from another hike where I had to turn around due to excessive mud.

He says that he and his family are about to start the hike but had to return to the car because they forgot to pack water.

I begin my climb, and a minute later, I meet his wife and the rest of the family. I say hello, and their five-year-old daughter, Lottie, immediately starts conversing with me. She instantly steals my heart. She is full of confidence and undoubtedly lives life with an open heart. I admire the fire in her, and I respect her parents for allowing her fire to shine.

At this point, Mike catches up with his family, and we all continue hiking up the mountain together. Mike asks the question that many people do: "Where does your accent come from?" From there, the conversation flows like a beautiful river, moving with love and compassion.

Mike, Felicia, Lottie, Jack, and Mack are from Buffalo and are visiting their cabin at Lake Saranac. Together we climb the mountain, bonding over stories of travel, kids, and life.

I share my story and receive an invitation to shower and park at their cabin while they are here. I appreciate the offer and plan to accept it, not just for the luxury of being clean but also for the opportunity to spend more time with them.

Thank you, Mike, Felicia, Lottie, Jack, and Mack. You have given me another beautiful gift from the universe today.

It's time to find my spot for the night. I take Ampersand Road off Route 3 and find myself on another well-maintained dirt road, winding through the forest and passing a breathtaking view of Stony Creek Pond. I drive a bit further into the forest until I find a good campsite. Well, here I am, in the middle of nowhere—just me, the forest, and the mosquitoes.

It's an ongoing battle to keep the mosquitoes away while I cook dinner. I am sure extra protein is added to my meal tonight. I give up on the idea of sitting outside to enjoy the silence of the forest, and escape into my car, which has become a war zone. The question now is who will win? There are so many mosquitoes trapped inside with me, that I am not sure who the victor will be.

I am so glad I try to plan ahead as much as possible. I have an electric fly swatter—shortened to just "zapper." For 10 minutes, all I do is swing my zapper around, roasting mosquitoes. Unfortunately, there are casualties on my side as well, as I discover new bites.

I leave open the only window where I installed a bag net, but I discover it's not fully sealed. I leave my zapper on auto mode overnight. Its blue light protects me as I hear the sound of mosquitoes getting zapped through the night.

Good morning, mosquitoes and my quiet forest. I am not even attempting to go outside. I will drive to the trailhead and wash up there. I plan to hike to Ampersand Mountain. It is a hard 5-mile hike to just above the tree line.

The trail is very muddy and slippery, adding an extra layer of challenge, but it's beautiful under the trees, and I keep going. I get to a point where I need to cross a wooden platform, but it's slippery. It's not long or high, but it gets on my nerves (a reminder that I fear heights). I don't feel like I have a choice, so I step on it and start to cross. My heartbeat races just from those few steps until I am on the other side.

Then it hits me—this is what Michael Singer refers to when he talks about our mental energy. Now that I'm becoming more aware of my consciousness and emotional energy, I am beginning to understand the effect on my soul and body. It feels like a new door has opened for me to walk through and continue my spiritual journey.

WOW! The 360-degree view is a breathtaking, sweet reward for hard work. From up here, I get a sense of what the Adirondacks are all about. Unfortunately, it's a hazy day. There's a film over my view, but I can still sense how dramatic and stunning the Adirondacks are.

Knowing that a shower is waiting for me at the end of the day is a sweet thought. Getting to know Felicia, Mike, Lottie, Jack, and Mack is a pleasure. The twins, Mack and Jack, are so sweet. What a beautiful age they are, 15 months old. Their innocence is so pure and simple.

It may be a simple gesture of kindness for Felicia and Mike to offer me a shower and a parking spot, but for me, it means the world. They leave a soft and loving place in my heart.

The skies are hazy today, and with so many lakes, kayaking is a no-brainer. I rent a kayak on Creek Pond and paddle to the quiet Follensby Clear Pond through a narrow beaver path.

"Hey, didn't we see you yesterday on the hike?" That's what Will asks me as they pass by in their kayak.

How funny! I love those moments when I re-meet people. Nancy, Will, and I talked briefly yesterday. What are the odds we would meet again? This time, we take the time to share our stories. Once again, I get an invitation to visit if I ever find myself in Rochester.

It is so hazy that the green trees stand in striking contrast to the dull skies. Paddling on the lake from island to island is relaxing and rewarding. My soul is quiet and at peace.

I find a spot on one of the islands and stop for lunch. A young couple comes to say hi. They are camping on the island for a few days, celebrating Abby's 30th birthday.

Abby, Sam, and I converse deeply about each other's spiritual journeys and share books and experiences. They agree with me that there is a movement of spiritual growth on our planet. It gives me hope that more of us are open to bringing love to our world.

I share my struggle with fear with Abby and Sam, and Abby asks me how I handle it.

That's a loaded question that I am still trying to answer myself. For now, I say, with small steps forward, deep breaths, and awareness of the pain it brings into me—and the price I'll pay if I let it take over. And yes, there are moments when it feels like I can't handle it, but somehow I do.

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow." —Mary Ann Radmacher.

I feel like I am jumping with no parachute, a freefall. However, it is the special moments that I encounter on my journey that install the little courage of chips in me. It is the beautiful souls that intertwine with mine. It's the little comments on Facebook that encourage me to keep writing. All of those are the little things that help me push forward. I do remind myself often that I have one life to live.