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,  

My love for the Great Smoky Mountains were ingrained in me at the age of 6,  When my Mom and Dad decided to travel in a station wagon with 4 kids and a dog named Tammy to the Smoky Mountains to camp. With our big green army looking tent we took off only to find that when we got to the campground planned it was full. So they told us there was a campground on the back side of the Smokys that don't fill up ever. Later we found out why.  So here we go. also this trip was so imprinted on me at an early age don't know if it was the excitement of fear?  Probably both.  I can remember stopping every so often with the station wagon runny hot and my Dad would get out and get water out of a mud puddle on the side of the road to put in the radiator. Also before we started up the mountain we had stopped at a lunch spot to eat watermelon. 4 kids a dog Mom and Dad.  We get back in the Car all kids. Half way up the mountain its where's Tammy?  Turn around back down the mountain and there she was sitting waiting for us. See this was not the only time we had accidently left her.  Numerous camping trips she was forgotten and we had to go back for her. So its off to this campground in Cosby Tn.  Cosby Campground.  Beautiful mountain springs runny thru the area.  Also Bears all over.  I saw baby bears in trees. We saw Bears raiding garbage cans.  One raided our campsite. Yes we stayed we stayed a whole week camping with Bears.  This trip imprinted on me on all of us kids. My Mom is gone now but we often talk about this trip with my Dad and laughed.  I think this trip also Defined me in a way for the love of the woods and hiking.  I have went back to this campground twice. The last time my Husband and I camped and walked along the same paths as then.  My mind would think of how my Mom and Dad enjoyed camping with us kids.  When I went back there were no bears. Garbage cans have been replaced with steel garbage boxes that they cannot open. They still have the rule of now food left out.  I captured a picture of where I was sitting on a wooden gate that now has been replaced with a metal one. A before and after picture.  This trip left footprints on my heart both times and I left my footprints on the trails we hiked.

Whether we are Hiking, Walking or just being around people, We leave Footprints,  Some in the Dirt, Mud or sand and some footprints we leave on the Hearts of other people. Our feet can carry us miles and miles we can encounter all sorts of beauty, Waterfalls, cliffs and magnificent views. It imprints on us Gods beautiful world he created for us.  I want to hike as much and see as much as I possibly can in my years here but I also long to leave an impression on the people I come in contact with on my journey ,  Positive uplifting and helpful.  I want to point them to Gods beauty and Love so they have a greater knowledge of him.  Have I done this ?  No and Yes.  I want to do so much more.  Like the Word says I want the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to Him.  Ok so lets HIKE ON!  leaving footprints on land and hearts