This past weekend, I was invited by some friends to go for a hike at Table Rock Trail and The Chimneys of Linville Gorge in the Pisgah National Forest. I love this group of ladies, so of course, I jumped at the chance.

We had hiked about a mile on the trail when suddenly the tree cover ended and we were standing completely exposed on the side of the mountain, 4000 feet above sea level. The views were breathtaking but then I glanced down into the canyon and the sensation of being out of balance overcame me. I froze.

Driving off the mountain last week, heading back home to North Carolina, I came across a turtle in the middle of the road. I stopped the car, got out, and moved him to the side.

Then the next morning, I bumped into two turtles on my morning walk, one at the beginning of the trail and one at the end.

Three turtles in less than 24 hours. What's the message here?

“You’re a brave woman, digging around in there.”

The woman’s voice startled me.

I had been walking my dog along the paved town greenway when a fallen log adorned with crystal-like mushrooms caught my eye. I had just stepped off the path and was leaning in for a closer look when the woman walked by.

How are you doing?

This week has been tough for me. I feel the weight of all that is going on in the world. It’s a lot. I started having migraines this week, too, and I think it’s all connected because isn’t everything?

I struggled with what I would write in this post, so I did what I always do when I'm lost and things feel like too much. I went to the woods.

Once there, I asked, What wants to come through right now?  

Earlier this month, I was walking my dogs through the woods, listening to a podcast. I remember feeling deep resonance with what the speaker was saying when an owl swooped down across the path just over my head before landing in a tree next to the trail. We looked at one another for a few moments. 

One of my mentors in forest therapy guide training was a singer.

Not in a professional sense. More like she sang or had us singing in every forest bathing walk and group activity we did.

I was a reluctant singer.

In fact, I remember telling my guide friend during training, That’s not me. I’m definitely not gonna to be singing on any of my walks. It felt a little Disney-ish to me.

Somewhere I read it’s impossible to think while you are listening.

I can’t remember exactly where I read that, or who said it, but I know for sure when you are lost in thought, you tune out sound around you. But does it work in reverse? When you are focused on listening to sound, do you tune out your thoughts?

Here’s why I say yes, it's true…

Fifty years ago, today, millions of Americans took to the streets, college campuses and hundreds of cities to protest environmental ignorance and demand a new way forward for our planet.

It was exactly 30 years ago that I was one of 750,000 people dancing to the B52s’ Love Shack at a rally in Central Park, NYC. That one college adventure was instrumental in raising my awareness.

“The blackest despair at the heart of them gets pressed to diamond.”

I read this line in Richard Power’s book, The Overstory this week and it struck a chord.

It was a beautiful reminder of resilience.

How are you doing, friends?

It’s a continuous roller coaster ride here. One moment I'm in complete anxiety mode and the other moment totally relaxed. I’m guessing you can relate.

It’s so easy to get caught in the “what if”s”. Things are changing rapidly and whenever I hop online to learn of the latest news, I am overcome by anxiety and fear about things like my children’s safety, my husband’s job and how this is all going to play out not only for my family and friends but for all of us.