hiking my own hike

My take on hike your own hike
Hiking can be a very enjoyable and rewarding hobby or like me can mean so much more, It can take you to the highest of mountains to the lowest of valley streams and waterfalls. Hiking can also be an adventure that can open our eyes to all sorts of nature's miracles, flowers, boulders, waterfalls and animals, I especially love to walk up above 6000 ft in the smokies when you walk amongst what we call the enchanted Forrest with fir and spruce pines and bright green moss carpeting, the aroma of the firs are wonderful.  it smells like christmas we would say  My personal hiking philosophy is  take time to smell the roses  not in a big rush to reach the top or destination, just take it all in, enjoy the moment, its not a race, Sure other people are faster and I'm usually just meandering up, but we all get to the top in due time. Hiking fills a void in my life I never knew I had, It has taught me and healed me, Every big hiking adventure is another mountain I climb not only for physical advantage but areas in my life that God shows me his beauty and faithfulness, 10-20 years ago I would never think this possible in my life. But I started climbing higher up the mountain and deeper into the woods and began to lose all concept of time and fears that had held me back for so many years. I hiked my own hike with God by my side

Driving down 5th Ave the other day seeing the High Rise building I thought about my Grandmother,  Hattie Hesler. She was a little thing not hardley 95 pounds soak and wet, A fire ball none the less. My Grand paw on other hand was a big huge tall man.  With a gentleness with us as a baby lamb. He wore blue jean overalls amost of the time and kept a gold pocket watch in the side of the overall bib. I would often remember setting in his lap playing with his watch,  Also I thought the coolest thing he would pull out a red prince albert can of tobacco and some white paper strips and roll a cigarette.  I can remember like I am watching him today lick the end of the paper to make it stick in a roll. And he always had a plug of tobacco in his pocket. He would pull his knife out of his pocket and cut a piece off to chew. sometimes he would cut me a small piece to chew. I remember it tasting peppery on my tongue .  I wonder if my Mom ever knew about this cause her Being a lady Preacher and all she would have just killed us both.  Not really but she would not have condoned it.  Well stories told of him in his younger years he was a Hobo.   He hopped trains and went all over, Often times leaving my grandmother raising 4 kids by herself during the depression.  No matter about all that I just thought that was the most awesome thing ever.  I had a Grandfather that was a Hobo. It trumped anything my friends grandparents did.  How cool is that.  Well to a 6 year old it was cool.  He still often wondered around in his older age guess it was in his blood.  He would take off early and wonder most of the day , He never drove a car.  My Mom would tell me he would walk to our house early and get me out of my crib and dress me. He would say "somethings wrong with this baby, she never cries"  He had a nickname for me it was Butterball.  Well I guess it applies now. He passed away when I was 11,  We were all heartbroken,  we all loved our Grand Paw.  He left footprints on my Heart that I will always remember plus he made alot of footprints himself with his traveling vagabond spirit,  Maybe that's where I get mine.  Elmer Hesler  my Grandpaw,