UP, UP, EVER UP.

                                                             THE TRAIL CLIMBS AND SWITCHES.

                                                     TREES STAND UPWARD.

                                                 WILDFLOWER SPIKES SWAY UPWARD IN THE BREEZE.

                                             EVERYTHING, POINTS UPWARD

                                        TO THE HIGH COUNTRY.

                                      I FEEL THE PULSE OF MY HEART QUICKEN AND POUND

                                 IN MY CHEST, IN MY THROAT, AND THEN IN MY EARS AS I HIKE,

                              PUMPING BLOOD UPWARD – TO MY BRAIN –

                         CLEANSING NEURONS SOILED BY CITY AND SUBURB,

                       STRESS, WORRY, AND RELATIONSHIPS.

                    NEURONS FIRE, FREEING MY MIND

               TO RECOGNIZE MY BEAUTIFUL SURROUNDINGS,

             TO APPRECIATE THEM,

           TO ENJOY THEM,

         TO IMMERSE MYSELF IN THEM.

       THE TRAIL AHEAD DISAPPEARS AROUND THE MOUNTAIN.

      IT PROMISES A NEW PERSPECTIVE AND DOESN’T DISAPPOINT.

  WHEN I REACH THE TURN AND CONTINUE, I SPY MY GOAL –

THE GRANITE THRONE OF MATTERHORN PEAK

ENCASED IN GLISTENING SNOW, SURROUNDED BY WORSHIPING MOUNTAIN TOPS.

I STOP TO ADMIRE NATURE IN A NATURAL CATHEDRAL THAT

NO HUMAN HANDS COULD COPY, MUCH MORE, IMPROVE.

I FIND PEACE IN THIS TEMPLE OF SOLACE AND

MY MIND IS SOOTHED, MY SPIRIT RENEWED.