Wandering and Wondering

The day was rainy for our first miles walking the Great Glen Way. Our evening accommodation was at a bed and breakfast in Spean Bridge, Scotland. Upon arriving and donning dry clothes, our six traveling companions congregated in one of the rooms to drink tea and chat. Occasional laughter ensued until we got a rap on the wall indicating that our B & B neighbors were not appreciative of our conviviality.

The next morning, we spoke with these neighbors briefly. They were from The Netherlands–Hans and Wonda. They appeared to be determined to do “every meter of the (Great Clen Way) walk.” We, on the other hand, were playing each day by ear and agreed among ourselves that having an enjoyable time walking the 80+ miles was more important than pushing any limits.

The next evening required creative plans for transportation since our overnight lodging was three miles further than we wanted to walk that day. We negotiated with a helpful Citylink bus driver who dropped us within ¼ mile of our housing in a beautiful castle-looking hotel. Another couple was also waiting for the bus. They were from Germany–Martin and Mora. We walked and chatted with our new German acquaintances as we made our way to the accommodations.

In ensuing days, we leapfrogged with both couples on our daily sojourns. They were faster than us but seemed to take more breaks. We were on the same schedule and route for this long-distance hike. They called us the American ladies. Young Martin and Mora marveled at our tenacity with hiking since all of us “ladies” were in our late 60s and 70s.

On the sixth day of our hike, the ten of us happened to be at the high point of the day at the same time. We shared a photo and lively conversation in the foggy mist. We had to imagine the landscape due to the limited visibility.

Our final day was a push to where we ended at Inverness Castle. We saw our friends frequently during those last ten miles. The highlight of the trip for me was seeing the four or them waiting for us and cheering us on as we came up the final rise to the Castle. We made it! After a celebratory brew at a nearby pub, we bid farewell. What started with handshakes ended with long hugs. It was a farewell that cheered our mutual achievement and the respect we gained for one another on this adventure. Rather than good-bye, I hope to have more experiences like this one–“until we meet again.”

One reader of this blog remarked to me recently that my blogs sometimes had a theme of “aging.” I defended that it was not the case. Upon reflection, however, I am more aware of aging and how it impacts my life.

I recently saw the following quote and it humorously portrayed how I am feeling these days: “I don’t feel like I’m getting older. It’s more like my warranty has expired and my parts are wearing out.”

I used to say that I felt like I was 35 rather than my age when in my early 60s. The number moved to 55 in my early 70s. I hope I am not in denial. All of us hear the platitude, “Act your age,” — I don’t know what that means!

I have slowed down a bit and I am trying to accept that reality. I am working to enjoy slowness in my life. Slowness seems less stressful. Slowing down, however, does not mean quitting. I know that I will never run the Boston Marathon as I had hoped years ago. I know I will not be climbing the highest mountain peaks (e.g., Kilimanjaro) that I had once dreamed of doing. Aging and slowing down is the reason. Nevertheless, many accessible mountain trails remain explorable, and I can do those.

I notice lately that strangers treat me a bit differently probably because I do look “older.” The white hair may be a signal that I may need help lifting my carry-on into the upper bin of an airplane, even though I am still quite capable of doing that. I appreciate people offering kindness to me, and I also reserve the right to determine for myself what I can and cannot do.

Ageism is the stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination against others or oneself based on age. I try not to connect ageism with myself and yet that attitude rears itself. I know people in my community in their 80s who are more physically fit than me. On the other hand, I also know people my age who would not reflect my active life.

I am not sure what the message of this blog is other than to highlight thoughts that have been occurring to me. I look forward to a long and healthy life as I age.

PS I am off on a long-distance hiking trip (acting my age?) so will not post for a couple of weeks. George Bernard Shaw reminds me, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

I was walking downtown to meet some friends for dinner. People were gathered along the Knoll-Willows Open Space looking at something with spotting scopes and fancy cameras. “What’s going on?” I asked.

A man responded enthusiastically, “There’s a mountain lion resting on the snow just below the knoll.” I couldn’t see anything then but when I looked through his scope, I saw the beautiful animal. Without the scope I could see a tawny lump off in the distance.

At that moment, I saw my first mountain lion in the “wild.” I have seen mountain lions in zoos but never in an unconfined environment. A mountain lion came to the open space not more than 200 yards from my home. It apparently killed a deer and then hung around to devour the deer and rest between meals. Later that evening it left the area.

I love cats. Seeing the mountain lion was thrilling. On the other hand, I was also glad when it moved on as the “urban-wildlife” interface was not the best circumstance for either the lion or town residents.

These large cats have ranges including mountains, forests, and deserts. They have muscular bodies, powerful limbs, and long tails, which help them balance. I have always loved that my cat, Gitch, has similar physical characteristics. Mountain lions are carnivores and primarily prey on deer, although they may also attack elk, bighorn sheep, and small mammals like rabbits. They hunt alone by ambushing their prey.

Mountain lions are not a species of concern for extinction. However, they face threats such as habitat loss, fragmentation, and conflicts with humans. Currently an initiative is being petitioned for the Colorado general election ballot to ban the hunting of mountain lions, bobcats, and lynx in the state. If the petition is successful, Colorado voters may get to determine the future fate of these cats.

I have never seen a mountain lion in the wild during my 50+ years of hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park because these animals generally avoid humans. Attacks on humans are rare. Like many wild animals, however, humans can encroach and threaten their territories and they will retaliate to protect themselves and their young.

I feel privileged to have seen this cat. I worry, however, about what the future may hold for these predators as well as the wolves in our state. In the meantime, I will enjoy the knowledge that these big cats are part of my ecosystem.

I always wanted to be in a book club. I rationalized, however, that I read enough for my job. I read an occasional novel, or a book related to pop psychology or something that had implications for my work on social justice. Usually I did not discuss these with anyone. Since retiring, I have had time to read “just for fun.”

About a year ago, an opportunity occurred. I learned that our local library sponsored a group of women called “Book Broads.” I didn’t know anyone in the group but thought it could be interesting.

When I perused the readings from their past three years, I saw a few books that I had read. I am not a fan of science fiction or fantasy, but do like historical fiction and increasingly, young adult novels.

When I read a book, I imagine what the characters are like. I note lines that inspire me. I like the way words are used. When I go to the monthly club meetings, I expand my mind regarding other’s impressions that I had never considered.

The Book Broads randomly draw a person’s name each month. That person gets to suggest three possibilities for reading in a future month. The members vote. My name was drawn at the second meeting I attended, and I begged a skip as I did not know if what I liked might resonate with the others. A couple of months later, my name came up again and I made suggestions based on nature themes. The book chosen provided enthusiastic discussion about trees, wars, generational trauma, and cultural conflicts.

I enjoy the book club. I meet new people and have especially appreciated the diversity of ages in the group. It is refreshing to interact with 30something folks as well as baby boomers.

Engaging in these discussions expands my perspectives. Sometimes I listen to others and find my understanding of the book deepened way beyond my initial interpretations. In addition, although I have not enjoyed some books as much as others, reading new genres moves me out of my comfort zone. Members of the group are respectful of diverse opinions through our social engagement.

I am grateful to be a member of this book club. I look forward to each month and the opportunity to discuss literature, bond with new friends, and expand my intellectual development.

I was a stranger 10 days earlier. During the festivities marking the end of Ramadan, however, I was treated as a dear family member. This occasion happened 50 years and its memory is extraordinary for me. To celebrate, I am observing the holy month of Ramadan in a personal way.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is a time of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community for Muslims worldwide. I am not a Muslim but have known many Muslims through personal and professional connections over the years.

I first learned of Ramadan (called Ramazan in Türkiye) when I spent six months on an international exchange program in Türkiye. I participated in the experience with two host families. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset and abstain from food, drink, smoking, and marital relations during the daylight hours. At sunset, a large meal shared with family and friends breaks the daily fast.

In addition to fasting, Muslims increase their prayers and engage in acts of charity and kindness throughout the month. In some ways the traditions are like what Christians, especially Catholics, might experience during Lent. Ramadan concludes with the festive day of Eid al-Fitr marked by prayers, feasting, and the giving of gifts. It is a time of joy and gratitude.

During the latter days of the month of Ramazan in Türkiye, I was staying with an extremely poor farm family in Samsun, close to the Black Sea. I was supposed to move to another family right before the end of Ramazan and my host family asked if I could stay for the Eid al-Fitr. I loved the joy of that celebration and the variety of food that came in endless amounts.

I am not fasting from sunrise to sunset, but I am keeping Ramadan by not eating sugar or drinking alcohol or sweet drinks during the daytime. I decided to undertake this gesture to remind myself of the specialness of my Muslim friends.

Ramadan will end this year on April 8. I will celebrate it quietly as I remember my time in Türkiye and the Muslim friends that I have known. I will also remember how the tenets of Islam and my Christianity are similar in the focus on gratitude, generosity, love, and kindness.

My two cats (siblings) have a birthday this month. I am not sure of the exact date since their feral mom gave birth to them in a rural North Carolina garage. I have chosen my great niece’s birthday on March 23 since she was born that day 14 years ago. In human years, they are now 72 years old-almost as old as me!

I love these kitties as I have loved the previous four cats that were integral to my life. I could not find the reference for the title of this blog, but it resonated with me. Anyone who has loved an animal has experienced the joy and connections that these family members give. I will not try to put into words what most people feel about their beloved pets.

Several weeks ago, however, I was talking with friends about my cats. I remarked that Gitch had had a urethra obstruction that required surgery and hospitalization and cost me several thousand dollars. One person questioned why I would have spent that money on a cat. In my mind it was a “no-brainer.” Although it hit my pocketbook, I had savings in reserve for emergencies and this certainly was one. My heart hurts for people who might not have the means to save a cherished pet in crisis.

My kitties had their annual well checks three weeks ago. Although they each have health issues (Mog has hypothyroidism and Gitch has a heart murmur plus the propensity to another urethra problem), they are doing well. I recognize they are aging just as I am. They have slowed down just as I have.

I do not dwell on their journey over the rainbow bridge someday, but I want them to have the best lives they can until that happens. I also know that it is possible that I may not live as long as them, so I have a financial plan set up in a trust for the care of any of my pets that might outlive me.

Pets require great attention. Inflation has impacted the cost of health care, medication, and prescription food for my darlings. Yet, my life with my cats is priceless. Happy Birthday Mog and Gitch!

Bunny tracks in the snow, ice crystals clinging to grasses, a gentle warning from a fellow walker about ice ahead, the chirping of a chickadee—these are incidents that happened one morning as I was walking along Lake Estes. I call them smile snacks.

Several weeks ago, I read an article about “joy snacks” in the Washington Post (WP). Although I liked that notion, I think of joy as something internal and broad. The events that happen serendipitously in my life and cause a physical external reaction on my face are what I call smile snacks.

I asked ChatGPT what it knew about joy snacks or smile snacks, and it suggested it might be some kind of product one could buy. Obviously “artificial intelligence” was wrong and not able to articulate what the emotions of joy or smiles might mean.

Smile snacks are identifiable to me and something I am open to each day. They provide a way of tuning into the pleasant, lovely, and unexpected experiences of my everyday living.

Smile snacks improve the mood of my day. Big events that make me happy are important, but these smaller experiences add up to bring meaning. These positive emotions help me feel connected to a bigger world. One of the co-authors of the WP article noted that, “It’s not just about you creating meaning in your head… It’s about detecting meaning that’s already out there.”

Recently I came across another similar idea called glimmers. “Glimmers are those moments in the day that make you feel joy, happiness, peace, or gratitude. Once you train your brain to be on the lookout for glimmers, these tiny glimmers will occur more and more.”

I prefer the idea of smile snacks because it evokes turning up the corners of my mouth. Physiologically in a stressful situation, a smile relaxes one’s face and can lower stress.

Being open to smile snacks is important. They do not happen all the time, but I am learning to acknowledge when those opportunities occur. Noting beauty, having a brief connection, or remembering something special provides emotional nourishment to me.

I love living near Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) and donating hours each week to volunteering in various capacities. I embrace the idea that Ken Burns and others promoted about the story of the US National Parks as uniquely American and radical in that the “most special places in the nation should be preserved, not for royalty or the rich, but for everyone.”

This movement is monumental, and I applaud the efforts to expand the story of these special places that include natural beauty and wildlife habitat, historical events, and cultural significance.

The National Park Service (NPS) was established in 1916. The creation marked a significant milestone in the conservation movement in the United States as it aimed to protect the nation’s natural and cultural heritage for future generations. Today, the NPS manages over 400 sites including national parks, monuments, historic sites, and recreational areas. Recent efforts have promoted the understanding and appreciation of diverse natural and cultural resources.

This inclusion involves acknowledging events that are not necessarily happy stories. Yet, these accounts are necessary to honor American history. In the past month, the Amache Historical Site was dedicated near Granada, Colorado. It was one of ten incarceration sites during World War II to unjustly incarcerate Japanese Americans. The website suggests it is “a place to reflect, recommit, and further the pursuit of freedom and justice.”  In New York City last month, I visited the African Burial Ground National Monument. I had no idea about that history.

Although RMNP is almost 110 years old, telling the story of the park is moving toward recognizing better what Indigenous people contributed. One of the interpretive rangers working on this project emphasizes that the natural and cultural history is not being rewritten, but the story of RMNP can be more inclusive with better interpretations of the history through collaboration with Indigenous communities.

It remains crucial for the NPS to continue to address issues often overlooked in American history. I am proud that Rocky Mountain National Park is working to contribute to a more inclusive and equitable representation of America’s diverse heritage within this national park.

“You are in me, like a ring inside a tree. I won’t forget it.” This quote came from a book I recently read, The Exiles. This idea resonated with me as I have been thinking about people that I currently know or once knew.

This book was difficult to read because of descriptions of suffering people. It has, however, moments of hope and joy as it tells the overlapping story of three mostly resilient women—two who were exiled to Australia because of alleged crimes committed in England and one whose only crime was being born Aboriginal. The historical fiction is thought-provoking. Although not a happy story, the rings of a tree metaphor highlighted the female friendships.

If you have followed my blogs, you know that I have come to love trees and all their symbolisms. The ideas that the three women shared about rings of the trees inspired me.

Angelina first described, “When you cut down a tree, you can tell how old it is by the rings inside. The more rings, the sturdier the tree. So…I imagine I am a tree. And every moment that mattered to me, or person I loved, is a ring. …All of them, keeping me strong.” Later, Mathinna whose story ended sadly, reiterated to her friend Hazel, “And every ring is someone ye care about, or a place that you’ve been. Ye carry them with ye wherever ye go.”

I am grateful for the rings of people and experiences that give me sturdiness today. I think of my life in stages of time and remember fondly those who influenced me most. I cherish those growing up friends that I continue to care about even though some have passed away. The professional friends that became personal friends continue to inspire me. I value the friendships I made through sports, running, music, and most recently volunteering. All keep me strong.

I hope to gain more rings over time and am bolstered by what I have within me today. I like carrying those rings of people, places, and experiences in my trunk.

I recently returned from a few days in New Orleans and New York City. I enjoy my city visits that make me grateful for living in the country. I take pride in my rural roots in Iowa. In addition, however, I seek opportunities to visit cities for short periods of time. I like what both cities and rural areas have to offer.

City life and country living pose distinct differences with advantages as well as challenges. My recent city visit was a contrast to the first 25 years of my life and the recent 10 years of retirement where rural environments have been my home.

Cities and country life are not necessarily a dichotomy. In my 35 “in between” years, I mostly lived in the middle of these two contrasts. Madison, WI and Durham, NC were not big cities and offered a blend of city amenities as well as proximity to the outdoors. One reason I resonate with parks and outdoor recreation as a profession is because of the way that cities, whether large or small, can offer outdoor nature-based activities.

Cities have advantages. For example, cities embody diverse cultures that highlight different cuisines, languages, and customs. Cities often provide numerous opportunities for entertainment such as theaters, museums, and restaurants.

Rural living has many of these same advantages in fewer ways. Estes Park has ethnic restaurants and entertainment in the form of high school music and theatre as well as community musical groups and arts. The natural beauty, peaceful landscapes, and proximity to nature that my small town offers, however, are important to me and why I chose my current country residence. Further, rural areas usually have cleaner air and healthier environments with outdoor recreation activities that lead to active living. My rural community fosters social connections and a sense of belonging.

Where one chooses to live is often a personal preference. The possibilities might also be based on career goals and social needs. My choices today are based on the quality of life that I seek in rural living.

Some people have more choice than others. I am grateful for the options regarding the places I visit and where I have chosen to live. I am thankful for this beautiful rural area and opportunities to make sojourns to cities for cultural visits. I am blessed with both worlds.