I went for a walk today at my favorite spot. I wasn’t sure if I really felt like it, but I knew I needed it. Fresh air, movement, time to just be. At first, I thought maybe I’d just sit on a bench and let my thoughts wander. But after getting out of my car, snapping a quick picture, I wasn’t feeling it. So, I got back in.
I sat there, listening to music, letting the songs fill the silence. And then, one song hit me differently—“The Other Side” by Michael Marcagi. I listened to it once. Then again. Then one more time. And something shifted.
I bundled up, stepped out of my car, and chose a different route than before. The long way.
And I’m glad I did.
I saw the mountains stretching across the horizon, peaceful and steady. I watched a little boy, camera in hand, walking alongside his dad, pausing every so often to capture the perfect shot. People were fishing, walking, dogs were barking, the crunch of twigs, snow, and ice beneath my feet. The moment felt right. I was ready.
At one point, the trail led me to a dead end. Another girl stood there, seemingly on a similar trek, looking just as uncertain as I was. I asked her if she knew where the rest of the trail was, but she didn’t. So, we figured it out together.
I kept going, following the path as it led deeper into the forest. The air was crisp, the silence peaceful, interrupted only by the occasional distant footsteps behind me. A small reassurance—another person seeking the same thing I was. Peace.
The trees thickened, the ground turned icy, and in my sneakers (yes, sneakers), I kept moving forward. When the path became nothing but a sheet of ice, I made a choice—I went up. Twigs, snow, and ice all waiting for me, daring me to turn back. But I didn’t. I climbed. I reached the top. And the small rush of accomplishment hit me in a way I didn’t expect.
I exchanged a few more words with the girl I had met on the trail. We traded names, talked about how nice it was to get out and explore, and even said maybe we could do this again.
It’s interesting how experiences like this can bring people together. How choosing to step outside, to move, can lead you to others who crave the same things you do. Right now, I don’t have too many people in my life who enjoy hiking, who love the quiet challenge of a new trail, the peace that comes with wandering.
But maybe that’s the lesson here.
Sometimes, taking a different path leads you to exactly what you need.
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