Today I hiked Sawnee Mountain for the first time in a round of seasons
And remembered that this is where I do my best thinking.

For the past decade
In the ice, rain, and thick of summer
As a newly wed,
A pregnant lady, a new mom
Navigating change and uncovering truth one step at a time.

The trail conditions were my favorite today:
Rainy and lush
Bright eyed and nourished.

I saw 3 protective does with bushy white tails
Squirrels that came so close they might as well be civilized
And a path lined with budding wild blackberries.

Basket oaks and tulip trees
Virginia creeper and poison ivy

My suburban sanctuary.

Huck is still there, at Camp Sawnee.
He has attended camp every summer since he was 4.
This time he is two class levels and 5 sneaker sizes up from where he started
Learning and enjoying nature with peers and adults in our community.

As I checked him in we walked by the little ones with their tiny sneakers and chubby cheeks
I felt a pang in my heart
Of wonder and truth
That happens in a blink.

This mountain knows me the same way I know it
Deep and wide,
Still barely scratching the surface.