Alessia Vs. Wild

10:59 PM

First of all, the room from which I am writing--my sleeping room--currently smells like a world of pink and purple butterflies, unicorns, and blossoms on every tree. Lavender vanilla concentrated room spray from Bath & Body Works is the answer, my friends. Feel free to sing those words to yourself. Aroma therapy is so very real.

Yesterday, I hiked Box Elder Peak for an event with the UVU OAC. HOLLA. This particular peak that no one actually knows about, including myself until last week, is just north of Timp. If you like Timp, I highly recommend this hike. But not when there's snow. There was totally snow, and I felt like Bear Grylls while clamoring along a slippery, freshly foot-printed pathway, and grasping onto protruding weeds. Actually, I feared for my life a couple of times.

At the beginning, it was still a little dark and cold. As we started making progress along the trail, my ears and chin felt icy. But there were yellow and lime-colored trees that speckled the dark green of the mountainside, and the sight was so beautiful. I felt like a marionette puppet, my mouth widened in wonderment, moved by God's beautiful creations. My jaw was stiff from cold, so in that position of awe did it remain for a while. But also just because I was in awe.

The trek was a solid 12.5 miles round trip, but we decided that you can round 12.5 up to 13, and 13 is practically 15, and if we're going by that logic, 15 rounds up to 20. I hiked 20 miles in one day, y'all.

But for realsies, I thought the trail was only gonna be 7 or 8 miles round trip. With the interminable stretching of the path, and the feeling that the peak was getting farther and farther away as we went, this was sure a challenge for me. As pictured above, my gray shirt that I wore says "You Are Enough." Sometimes, when you feel like you are majorly out of shape and you can't breathe and you just want to get to the bottom of the trail, remembering that you are SO enough can help push you along. Remembering something positive.

Also. Sometimes, when you feel like you are inadequate and you can't breathe for all the stuff in life that's suffocating you and you just want to get to the end of it, remembering that you're never alone can help push you along too.

I am very happy that I went on the hike. I almost didn't. But if you just listen to your heart, or whatever you believe in listening to, it will take you to the right places. Places where you may meet some seriously awesome people, connect with nature, and push yourself to do hard things like I did. I grew a little bit yesterday, and that is absolutely worth the 20 miles of achy legs. Okay, I'm just kidding. 12.5 miles.