Life Goals…

“As long as I live, I’ll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing. I’ll interpret the rocks, learn the language of flood, storm and the avalanche. I’ll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near the heart of the world as I can.”

~ John Muir

A few weeks ago, several of our children and grandchildren gathered in one of our favorite places on the planet, Franconia Notch, New Hampshire, where our daughter and son-in-law introduced their now 10-year-old daughter to one of our family favorites, the Franconia Ridge Trail. Although James and I stayed in the lowlands with their other children this time, we will always remember our own first hike on this same trail, during our honeymoon 42 years ago: wind in the trees and water splashing over rocks as we ascended the Falling Waters Trail, the magnificent vistas and fragile alpine flowers on the heights, and the scramble down rocky scree and slippery granite slabs on the descent. It was wonderful to relive the memories, this time with our oldest granddaughter!

How grateful we are that we have learned to “play outside” as a family, opening our eyes, ears, hearts to God’s great, wide, wonderful world!

Where will you be “playing outside” this summer? Feel free to share your adventures in the comments.

Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& creation celebrant)