Squaaaaaaww

I hiked Squaw Peak this Memorial Day with a few friends.
It was hard. I am sore. I am burned.
I have grown. I have been strengthened. I have learned.
It was well worth the hike to have such a beautiful view of the valley, and it was probably my favorite and most fun hike I have done yet. (No, I did not make out with anyone at the top)

(Every time I experience the outdoors of Utah - I remember why I love living here)

Besides having multiple hours of fun with my friends, the hike was a metaphor of life to me (like so many other things. Haha).

First, I was reminded of how hard the trail of life may seem while you're traveling, but when you look back in retrospect you see the best way to take and you apply what you've learned as you go forward. When you look down to see how easy the trail really is, you learn that you are capable of overcoming more than you think. Nevertheless, you cannot forget that the trail may still be difficult but you can grow towards your potential by continuing to climb.

Second, the higher you climb the more you see and the more you appreciate life. You need to look towards the peaks in your life and strive to follow the trails that lead to them. It is inevitable you will have to travel through valleys that are low, but there will always be a peak with a beautiful view to teach you to be grateful for those valleys.

Third, the higher you hike, sometimes, the harder it is to get down - like climbing a tree. Set your standards high and don't come down!

Fourth, don't rest for too long. Often in life, we want a break from the challenge. Taking time to breath more is good, but when you rest for too long on a muddy path you begin to slide down. This also reminds me of my exercise science class in high school when we talked about using short bursts of energy verses long strides of energy. I definitely don't remember all the terms and exact explanation of it, but I remember talking in the class about how going long distances can be harder if we go in short bursts and then rest numerous times, rather than pacing yourself and building up momentum and strength (whether running or walking - you're still moving forward!).
Life's the same, though I prefer sprint to running a marathon - you have to have patience, stamina, and a whole ton of mental and physical strength (but that comes through diligently working to progress).

Fifth, the things worth having in life don't come easily.