On the way up

On the way up, with wonder and unknown, noticing each step, each flower, the bees, the crows, the little bugs crawling along the path. Each step is unknown, unfamiliar, and new—a delight, a wonder. The sky is inviting, “come on, you’ve got this.” The breeze is gentle, and the grasses sway. I feel the muscles in my legs and butt work as I take each step—this hip joint and now the other. I notice how each step is unique, each muscle fired feels different than before. I hear the wind, the birds singing, and the sound of my shoes on the gravel. I feel the sun on my face. I hear my breath quicker and deeper as I ascend. I pause for water and turn to see where I have been. I see more now, the whole landscape from a different perspective, higher, more removed. I see the ocean; it looks still from here. I feel the smile form in my cheeks. I turn back to continue on the way up, feeling the soles of my feet kiss the ground. I am here. I am real. The earth is real.