I’ve happened upon this woman hiking in the Spotsylvania Battlefield several times. On a few of these occasions we’ve exchanged greetings and she’s told me she walks these trails every morning. Everything about her makes me want to be a better person. Her countenance is calm. Her hair is silver and and her smile is bright. She carries a water bottle. She wears fashionable hiking clothes. She is a mature older hiker. She makes hiking look fun. No counting steps or tracking miles. No headphones for music or podcasts, just the sounds of nature and the occasional shout out from fellow hikers. Forest bathing.
I don’t like gyms. And this looks like such a good way to take care of myself on multiple levels. I complain that it’s too cold to hike outdoors in the winter. Yesterday I bought a pair of insulated hiking leggings. I can’t wait to get started.